


Warrior of the Wild

by Kamen_rider_Dimension



Category: RWBY, The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Canon Divergence post volume 2, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-05
Updated: 2020-07-27
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:55:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 114,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23492809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kamen_rider_Dimension/pseuds/Kamen_rider_Dimension
Summary: He had served his purpose and he was content with living out his life aiding his Princess. Now, however, both He and Zelda find themselves facing the darkness once more. A world he fails to recognise, with dangers he's unfamiliar with. can new friends, weapons and abilities help them bring an end to the darkness that plagues this world as well?
Relationships: Link/Zelda (Legend of Zelda)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 44





	1. A whole new world

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written for Fanfiction.net in early 2018. A story initially intended for fun, gaining unexpected interest. As mentioned in the tags, canon will mostly be followed up to the end of Volume 2, where major diversions begin to appear.

Link, he… he wasn't sure how to feel. When he had been first appointed Zelda's personal knight, when he had first promised himself to the royal family that he would never let a single hair upon her person be harmed, he had expected his days to be spent by the princess' side watching over as she grew into the queen she was set to be. Whether it be the stray monsters that were foolish enough to believe that the princess would be without guard or simply some hooligans that had let their drinks drive them to extremes, Link had known from the very start that he was to be a guard, a protector, a fighter.

Then came the horrifying news, the news that a great evil beyond anyone could imagine was attempting to lay siege to the kingdom. In no time at all, efforts were forced into unearthing incredible forces of technology from the Sheikah of old, towering beasts that were to be piloted by the strongest of heart and soul. Gerudo, Zora, Hylian, Rito and Goron all offered up their greatest fighters to pilot these divine beasts and wield the sword of evil's bane against the coming calamity, the princess herself dedicating her every moment to awakening the power needed to drive off the coming evil.

Needless to say, things had escalated rather quickly. Battles were waged, technology was deployed and counters were put into action. Ruin ravaged the earth as evil scorched all it came across and yet in the end through endless courage, wisdom and power, holy power finally destroyed the horrific creature known as Calamity Ganon. Many lives had been sacrificed, over a hundred years spent in fear, mourning and anger… but they finally managed to see the end of the foul evil that plagued the land.

Now, however, it was as if he had little to do. Sure, he still was the guardian of the princess, but what little nuisances remained were hardly taxing on his skills. Not even the sight of a blood moon was able to make him fearful as he once was, barely armed with more than a branch and incredibly weak as he saw the few monsters he had managed to kill be brought back to life in mere moments. Now, it was mostly conversing with the different civilisations, ensuring each one could remain prosperous.

The title was about all that remained the same. Hyrule Castle, though no longer tainted by immeasurable evil and malice, was no longer habitable. Though it had taken him a fair bit of money and supplies, he came back to a perfectly fine house on the edge of Hateno village. While it had admittedly been a shock to the princess after living in a rather luxurious lifestyle, she soon found herself warming up to the quaint life. There was no longer the terrible fate potentially waiting for him bearing down upon his shoulders. Life was… peaceful.

"Ah, Link! I've found some remarkable technology, look at this!" Princess Zelda. Though she had been locked within the cursed castle, battling Calamity Ganon for a hundred years without rest, she barely looked above seventeen. Well, neither did he, but he had the help of a shrine dedicated to the preservation and restoration of bodies; it was purely her powers that kept Zelda as youthful as she was. Garbed in the blue and white shirt deemed the colours of royalty, the magnificent blonde was glowing, as she always was whenever she made a discovery she was so eager to deliver. Her boots remained caked in mud, as did the lower section of her trousers – she had been rummaging about in the Guardian remains it seems. "I never imagined I would find something like this on a simple walk, take a guess!"

Always excitable when it came to her research. Green eyes twinkled with cheerfulness as she stretched up on her tiptoes, Zelda's eagerness not even letting her close the door to their house behind her. While she was certainly not the most manners-strict person, she still usually obeyed typical etiquette, only breaking from said etiquette when it meant she could show off. There was only one response Link could think of.

"No, it is not an edible rock steak! Come on Link, take me seriously!" so he hadn't managed to whisper it quietly enough then. It had taken a while for Zelda to warm up to his personality, the image of her father trying to control her life too strong to throw away so quickly. Luckily, it hadn't taken long for them to form a friendship, one that had, ultimately become something even more given time. Perhaps it was the easy way he was able to talk with her, the way that Link always had a joke that brought a smile to Zelda's face. No matter what, it hadn't taken much convincing for him to bring her into his humble abode. "It's a small scale weapon comparable to those used by the Guardians! With this, we may not need to be so dependent upon the Akkala research lab for ancient arrows!"

They had been rather expensive to make, even if the materials quickly became rather plentiful throughout his adventure across Hyrule. It appeared to be a sideways bow of sorts, a small place for her finger to rest upon the grip quickly sending out a blue bolt that seared the walls with black. A pointed look had the princess giggling awkwardly; royalty as she was, her excitement did lead to her acting rather childish at times.

"Though I suppose things such as this are rather useless now, aren't they?" Zelda remarked, letting the weapon fall to the table as a quick pull of a chair allowed her to lean upon Link's shoulder. "The number of monsters seen has reduced greatly with Calamity Ganon's fall. While it's a shame to think that such an incredible invention will be reduced to a hunting tool, I'm glad we won't have to face such a terrible fate any time soon."

He honestly could've stayed like that for the rest of his life, nothing to think about save for the wonderful girl by his side. Many had secretly moved forth to speak about their jealousy that he had managed to ensnare the heart of the princess, but what could he say? So long had he waited to see her smile once more…

A sudden noise had the Hylian leaping from his chair, Zelda letting out a cute little yelp as she lost her balance. Link paid no attention to it however, one of the stands that decorated the walls quickly losing the sword it was proudly displaying as he moved the princess back. The back of Link's mind was actually quite happy. After however long he had been fighting to defeat Calamity Ganon and free the princess from her struggle, leaving the Master Sword as nothing more than a wall ornament or ceremonial weapon seemed quite a waste. All too soon, however, the source of the noise was quickly revealed and what was found left both blondes gaping.

"Pure Malice…" it was swirling like a vortex before them, darkness given physical form filling the doorway before they even had a chance to react. With but a moment of shaking, very soon the weapons and shields left hanging on the wall were sucked in one by one, Zelda far too slow to stop her recent discovery from joining them in the dark abyss. It was clear what it was trying to do, even if it held no place in Hyrule anymore.

The only issue was, it didn't seem as if he could do anything about it. His footing was slowly giving way and the princess had always held far more magical prowess than physical. As soon as he started to be sucked in, the princess desperately took hold of his hand despite his choked protests.

"I will not let you be consumed by the darkness, Link!" her hand glowed with a holy light, but a hundred years was bound to take its toll on a person; it did little more than simply disrupt the portal, an angry wailing coming from within as it grew more unstable, the attracting force was growing by the second and before they could try anything else, they were sucked in after their possessions, the portal suddenly blinking out of existence the moment they were completely within. Though there were none to hear it, a dark chuckle emanated from the darkest depths of Hyrule castle, wisps fading away in the sunlight.

* * *

Link first awoke to the sight of deactivated ancient technology and various outfits scattered around him, still sitting upon their various mounts and manikins. He was in an unknown location, which meant unknown dangers; without hesitation, each weapon was sequestered upon his person, the champion's tunic he had let be used only for ceremonial purposes sitting upon his body once more, the Hylian Shield taking its place on his forearm. Until the princess by his side managed to regain consciousness, they were sitting ducks and boy did he not like that idea.

They were in a forest, trees of red decorating the horizon with the scent of fresh leaves falling upon Link's nostrils. That couldn't be right however, the trees outside his home had only just been picked for their fruits, it was still the prime of summer! Sure, there were a few species of trees that naturally took on a red hue all year, but they were few and far between; he had no clue where he could be.

"Where… where are we? I've never seen a place like this in Hyrule." Zelda muttered as she rubbed her eyes. Mere seconds after waking up and she was already analysing the surrounding area her hands moving to the Sheikah slate to pull up what seemed to Link to be an endless trove of information. "None of these trees directly relate to any of the images we hold, that should be impossible!"

Had anyone else said that, you wouldn't have been mistaken for believing they were alarmed. While Link wasn't so foolish as to believe his princess was completely calm after the incredibly random event that had brought them here, nothing could distract her better than a discovery. The slightest rustle, however, had the knight stepping forward, Zelda far too absorbed with taking pictures of the crimson trees to take notice. The footsteps seemed too heavy for a wild fox or boar and considering how dense the trees were, there was little chance it could be a horse. A Moblin?

Turns out, it wasn't. Or at least, it wasn't a Moblin he was familiar with. A bone-like mast sat atop a lupine form, the creature snarling as it slouched forward. Beady red eyes glared at the two Hylians before it, Zelda slowly moving behind Link when she caught a glimpse of the wicked claws that threatened to slice them to pieces. The spikes protruding from its limbs merely made it all the more threatening.

But not to Link.

The Master Sword gleamed with blue energy as the knight drew it from its sheathe. While an arduous trial had meant that it would always be awakened with its true power, it had originally only reached such perfection when in the face of true evil and though it may not appear any different, Link could already hear the hums of warning coming from the blade. This creature of black, it was considered just as dark and evil as the creations of Calamity Ganon… there was no time to waste.

The beast struck forth, its claws bringing sparks to the Hylian shield as Link pushed the offending appendage to the side. The Master Sword met spikes, the incredible might of the monster pushing Link back for a brief moment before it reared back, ready to strike once more. That was its mistake for as soon as it took its swing, the beast mere millimetres away from his flesh… Link dodged.

And the world slowed down.

* * *

Zelda couldn't help but watch in amazement every time he did it. Initially, she had been rather put out with how Link always went and put himself in the brink of danger but the sheer speed the boy countered at was unparalleled. In moments, the Master Sword became little more than a blur as it struck the darkness, a fierce cry filling the air as the beast was sliced down with little effort. It was almost as if time slowed down for a brief period, only for Link to flip backwards and with sword raised, swing down with all his might, a swirling disc of energy slicing the creature in half.

A quick flick downward had whatever dark residue upon the steel removed, a sharp movement making sure the coast is clear before he returned to his princess. There was always the chance of a settlement, after all, Link offering the strange weapon Zelda had found back to the, who accepted it with a nervous smile.

"A part of the land where the darkness continues to fester… I had hoped it wouldn't be so." Zelda said as she turned her eyes to the air. There wasn't the same innate heaviness to the air that was associated with the corrupted Hyrule castle (save for the rapidly dissolving remains of the beast beside them) and yet there appeared to be monsters born of the darkness. "Ganon gave up his chances for reincarnation though, how could his influence remain still?"

While incoming darkness was indeed a dangerous situation, they were probably best off first trying to find a village first. At least then they would be able to find out where they actually were and maybe even have a chance at figuring out the source of the issue.

"You're right Link. Please. Lead the way." There was a massive tower in the distance, just like those that allowed his slate to gain a picture of the world; if he managed to approach it, would he be able to gain a map of this area as well? The massive bird-like creature patrolling the sky too drew their attention and even in the cautious environment they were in; Zelda couldn't help the intrigue that welled up within her.

"I've never known these creatures in all my life. Could it that Calamity Ganon has somehow brought forth new creatures to terrorise the land?" the princess suggested, Stepping back when a second of the odd wolf creatures threatened to render them into pieces. "An unknown part of Hyrule, one where the Calamity continues, perhaps it was fate that brought us here."

Link couldn't help but agree as he withdrew the Master Sword from another of the creatures, the remains melting away like so much snow on a hot hand. They definitely acted like the mindless blights, seeking only to kill and do little else, where even the many normal monsters sought to live relatively civilised (if primitive) lives when they weren't threatening people. The tower at least was a suitable target for them to follow, plenty of experience moving through forests and woods having them moving at a fairly reasonable pace. While they had yet to produce any more than single monsters for him to face, Link couldn't help the slight sense of trepidation that coloured his actions as he steadily moved forward, the path slowly clearing up as the two approached a more open area. The distance gradually grew clearer, buildings unlike any either had seen before showing their immense size, some even managing to reach the grandiose levels of the temple of time when it was untouched.

"Where on Hyrule have we managed to end up? Surely such a developed region would not be unknown to the royal family." Zelda muttered, her excitement offset by the amount of caution that flooded her body. "Link, though the threat of being attacked is as real as ever, I must approach this as a proper dignitary of the crown. Unfortunately, you know what that must entail."

The smallest of sighs escaped Link. He knew clearly what that meant – as soon as they met society once more, he would be forced to stand by in silence while whatever official discussions were to be had occurred and considering that they would be conversing with a place that had developed entirely without the knowledge of the Hyrulean royal family, discussions were bound to be lengthy. It wasn't the silence aspect that made him upset, it was more the fact that he never really did have a flair for these sorts of things; he spent the majority of the time bored out of his mind.

"I'm surprised you managed to find yourselves here in the Forever Fall forest. Tell me, what are you doing here?" the voice that greeted them was jovial and considering the stance the white-haired man held, the least Link could do was put away the Master Sword as he took his place behind his princess. His first inspection wasn't too great in all honesty – dressed in a strange suit of black with a green shirt and scarf, he didn't hold the image of one who was well versed in the art of combat. The eyes, however, the slightest tensing of his muscles – those were what spoke of a man who was more than met the eyes. Perhaps he should keep his sword out. "After all, save for Beacon students, very few choose to come out here of their own will thanks to the Grimm."

"Grimm, is that the name you have for those wolf-like beasts of darkness? Interesting…" Zelda remarked as she very quickly typed the name down upon the Sheikah slate, rapidly hiding it upon her back hook with all of the grace of her station. "Well, it's a pleasure to meet you. I am Princess Zelda of the Hyrulean royal family. Seeing as there has been no record of you in Hyrule, is it fair to say you know not of me?"

"Hyrule? I've never heard of such a place." The man answered, his blunt tone bringing forth a sound of shock from both Hylians. They didn't even know the name of the land they were on? "Tell me, you claim yourself a princess – how is there a kingdom that none of the other present Kingdoms know of? Pardon me, I haven't mentioned my name. I am Professor Ozpin, headmaster of Beacon Academy. According to your words, I dare say you haven't heard of me either."

"You can't speak the truth, of course the Zora, Gerudo, Rito and Goron know of us!" wait, so they were saying there were other kingdoms, yet they didn't know of their names? How odd could this be? A dark look appeared upon the so-called Professor's face, the white-haired man turning with a sharp look towards the Princess.

"I believe we have much to discuss. Please, will you join me in my office?"

* * *

Link had never seen such a strange office in his life. While his choice of career meant he hadn't exactly been to many in his lifetime, he still knew enough to understand that the walls and floor shouldn't be composed of moving parts, steadily ticking away as they followed the strange man who had introduced himself as Ozpin. He had a casual manner to him, though he couldn't ever hope to completely hide the skill that was as much a part of him as his arm or leg.

Zelda, however, was positively eating it all up, her eyes glimmering as she tried her hardest to take in all she could. Several strange Guardian like constructions had flown high above them but they lacked the ancient Sheikah designs, plain grey soaring through the sky and it seemed as if tools such as the Sheikah slate had been made on a mass level. Just how advanced were these isolated people? Well, the knight said isolated, the truth was looking to be something far more strange.

The Princess and the man had been conversing seemingly endlessly through the journey to the buildings that seemed so far in the distance, Ozpin only letting his surprise at the woman's claims meet his face for the briefest of moments before he continued onwards. There was something about his visage that had the Hylian on edge, almost as if they were already being put into a strange position before they had even met.

"So you say you are the princess of a land known as Hyrule?" Ozpin recalled, the man settling behind his desk with a mug clenched in hand, Zelda nodding delicately. "Well, I'm afraid that we've never heard of a place called such and the sentient species you've shown us have never been seen at all in the entirety of Remnant."

So this place was called Remnant, was it? As loathe as he was to admit it, there were only many reasons why a location could avoid knowing of an entire Kingdom and all of the societies within. It was if the scientific mind of the Princess would be able to reach the same conclu-

"I see. Then the foul darkness that swallowed us must've sent us into an entirely different world!"

Well, that was surprisingly easy and apparently, Ozpin thought so as well.

"I will admit, I was fully expecting you to avoid that idea at all costs. Nobody likes to think they've been sent to an entirely different world after all." The Headmaster stated, taking a sip of his coffee as Zelda mulled the words over. "It's simply the fact that we've explored a large amount of land and the land that we have not is usually uninhabitable by people, no matter what species they are."

"That is true and I naturally wish to return to my kingdom and people as fast as possible. But the thought of visiting another world, one with what appears to be completely different geography, technology level and fauna selection is incredible! No one else may have this chance save for me and Link!" the princess declared, Link letting a small smile grace his face. She was beautiful in the setting sunlight, the Hylian was reminded. "Besides, I would be remiss in my duties to Hyrule if I got to experience such wonderful technologies and could not bring at least some news back."

"A fair reason. I can't see ourselves developing a way for you to return so quickly to a home we know little about… fortunately for you, there's no better place to gather information than a school, especially one as prestigious as my own." Ozpin answered, throwing his arms wide weakly. "If you wish, I can certainly arrange for you to be situated here while we try and find a way for you to return to this Hyrule. Perhaps it could even evolve into a two-way trade."

This was going far too smoothly in Link's opinion, usually there was a bit more negotiation, a debate of some sort. It must've slipped through to his face for the brief moment that he caught Ozpin's gaze, the man let out a knowing noise.

"Of course, you've come into contact with the Grimm have you not?" the white-haired man continued, not waiting for an answer. "My cameras managed to see your bodyguard in action, he is incredibly skilled."

"Cameras? Ah, you said they were like the image rune on the Sheikah slate, yes. I will not deny Link's skills in battle. He is the greatest in our Kingdom!" Zelda praised, turning her bright smile upon Link. He merely gave a slight nod in return, Ozpin's appraising looks unreadable. "He has faced many creatures born of evil before. Few could match him on the field of battle."

The smile that appeared on the man's face did more than disturb Link.

"Well, perhaps we could sweeten our deal a little bit. You see, this is a school dedicated to teaching the next generation the art of defeating Grimm and whatever may threaten the security of our Kingdoms and it is rather hard to find appropriate fighters who are willing to teach the youths in anything over than an apprenticeship and the military becomes rather touchy when we ask their hunters." The Headmaster explained. "There is a woman here called Glynda Goodwitch who is both the deputy headmaster and the teacher for combat studies, where students practice their skills against over people. If she were to have a replacement who could teach combat studies in her place, then she would be able to more appropriately do her deputy duties."

"You wish for Link to be a teacher? How interesting." Zelda mused, her eyes immediately judging Link's body in a way that made him ever so slightly uncomfortable. Goddesses, he had managed to face the epitome of evil and yet here he was feeling in danger of his own Princess. "I don't know whether he would be suitable for a teaching pos-"

"Naturally, we would also allow you to sample many of our technologies and potentially keep some."

Well, the light looks that came from the princess turned into the strongest puppy eyes that Link had ever been faced with. The forbidden move, it had greater strength than even the Master Sword against Calamity Ganon! When they were pulled out, there was only one way he could bend.

Whichever way Zelda wanted him to bend.

Not that he wouldn't have in the first place.

How was he meant to be a teacher though? Sure, he had his weapons and had been training against people from an extremely young age, but did that make him properly suited for a job teaching? He highly doubted Zelda would also be thrust into the position, meaning it also left the princess vulnerable whenever he was stuck in a classroom. But those eyes…

He gave a firm nod. He would at least be able to teach them something, if nothing too major. Ozpin's smile grew at the same time as the Princess' his mug raised in gratitude.

"Of course, I wouldn't be thrusting you into a full-on teaching position. That would be utterly ridiculous considering I know nothing about your skills and from the looks of things, you haven't taught once in your life." Ozpin admitted, chuckling at the sigh of relief that escaped Link. "I can see it in you though, you are a proud warrior much greater than those who study here. To ask you to do anything lower would be an insult to the skills you don't even have to show. You're also hiding much more than simply the sword upon your back. The cameras managed to capture a little sight of other items falling beside you. I won't ask you to reveal what you do not wish to, but I'm certain surprise may prove to be a nice advantage on your side."

Well, the deal was sealed now, wasn't it? in exchange for assistance trying to get back home, he was now being put in a position where he would teach the next generation as if he was an actual teaching assistant. When he was being swallowed by the dark portal, this was not where he thought he would've ended up. Princess Zelda looked happy with the deal though, if the way she smiled meant anything.

"Isn't this wonderful Link? Now, we can return home with news of all new creations and plant life while ensuring that the darkness is truly gone for good!" the blonde declared, standing from her seat to grab Link's hand enthusiastically. Ozpin however, had yet to finish.

"Let it be known, however, while we cannot be certain that it is entirely the same considering the difference between our worlds that we've managed to establish, there a chance that you will face great prejudice." The Headmaster declared, Zelda tilting her head in confusion.

"Is it because we're not true students at this Academy?" the Princess enquired.

"Not at all. The issue is your ears." Link reached up to delicately touch the long ears that sat upon the side of his head. What could be the issue with ears of all things? They had never proven to be troublesome before. "Allow me to properly explain. You see, those who bear features that are not native to the normal human, such as ears like yours or any other sort of animalistic feature, are known as Faunus. They have been under heavy oppression and abuse and though times change, the sentiment is still felt. Be warned that there will be those who may ignore your status as a perfectly normal warrior or princess simply because of your ears."

It sounded utterly ridiculous. To abuse one who simply looked different was no better than degrading your neighbours simply because they had more than a tan due to labour. From the lack of mention, Link could only assume they still talked the same language, they still ate the same things and could do all the same stuff – why having ears that were different meant anything was anyone's question.

"Though being referred to as animalistic is certainly a first, I'm not one to turn away someone's caution. Thank you. Do you happen to have anywhere we could rest for now?" the Princess suggested, answered by the ring of an elevator bell.

"Ah, it looks as if your guide has arrived. Miss Goodwitch, would you be so kind as to guide these to the dorms? The necessary information should be on your scroll right now." Ozpin introduced, the blonde woman that walked in scowling slightly as she nodded. She had been reading the scroll the entire journey here and from the looks of it, she wasn't taking it at all well.

"Understood Headmaster. Please, come this way." No more was said, for she turned upon her foot with one last look and started walking away, a clear message to her body –she would be talking to Ozpin later when she wasn't with company. With a look between one another, all Link and Zelda could do was follow along. It wasn't as if they anything else they could do at the moment. Goodwitch did not let out a single word as they walked and whatever questions Zelda asked only received the smallest possible answers; if Link wasn't so sure she hadn't received a proper explanation, he was almost ready to draw his sword for all of the disrespect shown.

* * *

"This shall be your accommodation, apparently. I will admit it, I do not believe your story for one moment." Goodwitch stated bluntly as soon as she opened the door. "I have little to go off of, but Ozpin is a man who is far more willing to go with his curiosity than his logic, hence why he was already making arrangements for you to be situated here before he even finished talking to you. Though I don't believe that he would do this without reasons, know that I shall have my eye on you."

The key was tossed into Link's hands in mere moments, both blondes turning to one another silently as their guide stepped out of the room and doubtlessly towards the Headmaster's office. Link couldn't exactly blame Goodwitch, he had expected there to be far more disagreement and conflict when it came to this; to literally go from being put into a new world into being put into a school to teach the people to fight was just moving a little too fast for him.

"Well, she was somewhat unpleasant to speak with, wasn't she?" Zelda sighed, looking around the rather bare room. Link wasn't exactly one for outrageous decorations, but there was something distinctly… empty about the room. It held all the necessities, beds, a set of drawers, a cupboard and a bathroom, but there was just something lacking about it all. "Still, considering how easily the man conceded to our presence, it was bound to be met with some disagreement. I apologise for putting you up so easily, but I couldn't help but think of all of the culture we could bring back home. Besides, I would not be able to sleep at night knowing that I've left these people when they too are under the threat of darkness. Though my power has waned, let's at least do all we can to stop this threat here and now, okay?"

He was at least of the same mind with that. There was no point in wielding a blade that could seal away the darkness and simply letting the darkness continue to fester after all. Sure, it would mean perhaps giving up some techniques his teachers had classified as restricted to the Hylian army, but the princess wouldn't have put him up if she wasn't willing to make such sacrifices for the advancement of both worlds.

"Darn it. I had hoped that the Amiibo rune would at least give us some hint of how to get home." Zelda muttered as she lowered the Sheikah slate. How could he not have thought about it? The Amiibo rune, one of the most mysterious functions of the slate Link had discovered; somehow, it managed to harness enough energy to form portals that brought forth gifts of food, weapons and armour from who knows where. Considering the sheer variety of items it had given Link throughout his adventure, the idea of it connecting to different worlds wasn't as hard to take in as it probably should've. But the portals through which the items appeared never lasted long – the one that dropped off the treasure chest at the door of the room had only lasted for a brief mome- wait.

A treasure chest had appeared once more, the same stone box that he had come across countless times on his journey. At first glance, that might not appear to be too interesting, but one look outside the window showed that there was little reason for the world they were in Remnant, to feature such a basic chest; they were still connected to Hyrule or at least, wherever the portals produced were connected to. All they had to do was make the portal a bit more sustainable and see whether they could travel back and forth.

"I see, that's true!" Zelda said, looking to the slate with a new sense of wonder before a slight grimace returned to her face. "However, no matter how much research I do, I can barely comprehend even the smallest part of this technology. Now that we have no access to our libraries, I fear the situation is even worse than it was before."

But there was the odd item that seemed similar that this world had, the 'scrolls' that Ozpin spoke about. At first glance, they seemed to at least have the image function, even if they didn't hold the same combat prowess that the Sheikah had implemented. Surely that meant some aspects were similar and if they were producing it on as large a scale as had been suggested, that meant they must know exactly how they worked.

"Yes! Perhaps we may even learn of how the Guardians came to function, we could unlock so many secrets of the past simply because of a strange incident! Link, when did you suddenly become the better puzzle solver out of the two of us?" the princess cheekily cried out in delight, said Hylian merely rubbing the back of his head. It was simply thinking things through – usually, he was simply looked upon as the brawn of any group or the strategist in battle rather than everyday life. Not that you could call this an everyday occurrence. "Do you think this world would have an equivalent to the Divine Beasts as well? No, no, we should wait to confirm whether they even have the same technology as us – ours is ancient yet theirs is modern, who knows how different they could end up being?"

This was the Zelda he preferred, not the stuffy one who was forced to come out whenever she had to do something as princess. It was far more comforting to him and he needed as much comfort as he could get at the moment even if he didn't show it upon his face. Being in an unfamiliar world has his danger sense tingling in anticipation.

He didn't like it one bit.


	2. Getting acquainted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On picnics and people.

s"This is outrageous Ozpin! You've known these people and their delusions for barely three hours and now you think to give them a position of mine!?" Goodwitch immediately growled as soon as she entered the office, said man merely taking a sip of his drink. "I know you have plans, but to bring people in who have no reason to participate and from what you've told me, are perhaps utterly insane, is a fool's action!"

"Well, perhaps the insane merely know something the rest of us don't. Please, look over the footage. You'll see that the one called Link is truly a skilled fighter." Ozpin deflected, an action that was clearly noted in Goodwitch's eyes as she looked to the camera footage being put before her.

"He shows potential as a hunter, but I hardly believe facing single Beowolves is evidence enough to give him a higher position at Beacon than a student." The blonde woman remarked, pushing back her glasses with a stern frown. "I will admit, the speed at which he eliminates lone Grimm is up there with the professional huntsmen, but without evidence of his skills with facing larger varieties and groups, I cannot accept your reasons."

"I have already informed them that there will be more trials for them to face before they'll be able to take a full place and Link will only be put into an assistant role until you feel satisfied with his actions." The white-haired man clarified. "After all, are we not all set to have the next load of students come and take their places? That will provide some more challenges than Beowolves, you've been privy to that multiple times."

He was slowly making progress, he had been around his deputy Headmaster long enough to see the smallest of tics that broke through Glynda's hard features. Sure, he wasn't all the way there just yet, but perhaps the next information might serve to push it further.

"Besides, that is not my main curiosity, you must've felt it when you were close to them as well." The headmaster stated, letting his cup fall to the table with a smile slightly fading. "The girl of the pair, Zelda, her aura… it holds the greatest warmth, does it not?"

It took a particularly strong aura to make it have a physical feel to others, it was a well-documented fact. As soon as he approached the two otherworldly people, however, the feeling immediately ticked his bones. It wasn't particularly strong, but the sheer warmth and almost divine feeling to it was more than enough to inform him that the one who called herself a princess was a special specimen, almost like… well, it was a potential thought.

"I suppose that is correct." Goodwitch conceded grudgingly, sending the man a withering glare as she saw the first vestiges of a smirk appear behind his cup before it changed back into a pleasant smile.

"Yes, but Link is the most intriguing of the two." Ozpin continued. "Rather than the pure warmth of his companion, he somehow manages to hold the ferocity of lightning, the power of fire, the serenity of water and the flexibility of the air. If my initial hypothesis is to be correct, then he will play a massive part in the future."

There we go, now Glynda was silent. Being a headmaster was certainly a draining job, excuse him for having a little fun when it came to his plans coming together. The way that Goodwitch gently bristled as she finally accepted his thoughts brought a fair amount of merriment to Ozpin, not that he let it show lest he ended up having a face full of coffee. Instead, the women merely consulted her scroll, words slightly tinged with bitterness despite her professional tone.

"I see. Well, if he proves himself, then I'm sure he can be tolerated despite his rather odd entry reasons."

…Well, that was about as good as he was going to get, better not rock the boat too far.

* * *

It had only taken one look at the kitchen's offerings before Link was making his way outside. It wasn't as if he didn't have faith in their flavour or nutritional value – it wouldn't have been offered in a training academy otherwise – but there was something far too unnatural to him. Almost as if they had been made by robots before an actual chef even touched it.

Luckily, he was able to find quite the nice little spot away from others, a bench overlooking a peaceful scene. When there were more people about, then the pathways were probably going to get a lot noisier but for now, it was perfect.

Zelda's approach wasn't noticed by Link, a fact that had her chuckling inwardly. Put a monster five hundred meters away and the knight would already be preparing several different methods of killing it; have the princess appear at his side and he wasn't even slightly distracted. The fact that he was preparing food as well, evidenced by the cooking pot casually sitting by his side, meant that the blond boy could probably sit through a siege before he moved away from his meat.

"Boo!" well, it didn't elicit the response she was entirely hoping for, but confusion did colour his face as he finally got the fire going before them, his stoic look becoming far more relaxed at the sight of Zelda. "Aw, couldn't you at least pretend you were scared? Even somewhat?"

His response was a chuckle, patting the bench beside him as he set up the now water-filled pot. After a little request, he had managed to at least get a couple of basic ingredients and he (quite literally) wouldn't have survived this long if he couldn't work with bare essentials. Zelda merely sat in peace, listening to the gentle hums of her knight as he threw the rice into the pot, letting it boil away without another care in the world. Perhaps if he had not been chosen by the goddesses, if he hadn't been faced with such an immense fate, he might've been a chef.

The picture made her laugh openly. Such a fierce warrior, reduced down to simply serving people food. Something told her in the back of her mind that he might actually enjoy it. When they had finally reunited, Link had been more than happy to divulge the various stories of the friends he had made purely by chatting over a good meal.

"This world… it's so beautiful in its own way." The princess eventually spoke, feeling Link's eyes turn onto her even if he didn't speak in return. "The construction of this entire area holds such a nice charm, I'm certain it will be a joy to learn here even if it isn't with the other students. Link… do you think I've put you into a situation you don't want to be in?"

Hmm? He had already said that he wasn't bothered teaching some stuff to them. If that was all he needed to do while Zelda and the headmaster tried to figure out a way for them to return home, then he was perfectly able to pass on what his own experiences had taught him. Besides, it would've probably happened anyway if the royal guard had remained…

"I suppose that's true. Still, hopefully, we shan't be too long." The sound of sizzling food and Link's triumphant cry had the princess finally look in his direction, her eyes falling to the bowl that was happily being offered to her. While the meat bowl wasn't exactly the fruitcake she had grown so fond of and had been hoping to have after such a strangely exciting yet stressful day, it wouldn't do for the princess to be so presumptuous and so, with a smile, she happily partook alongside her knight.

By the goddesses, did it taste good.

* * *

"Ho-ho! It appears that the cafeteria isn't quite up to standard!" the jovial voice that greeted them made them pause in their shared meal, the man stood before them. A double-breasted suit of burgundy outfitted a somewhat portly man, greying moustache and hair speaking of his age. "Ah, my apologies, I have yet to be introduced to you. My name is Professor Peter Port, proud hunter of Grimm and the teacher of Grimm studies here at Beacon! Pray tell, is there a reason why you are here before the others?"

The two briefly shared a glance before Zelda spoke, her royal tones, well, toned down as she spoke to the professor.

"You see, we are here in… special circumstances. Unfortunately, I don't believe we have a home to go back to at the moment." Zelda spoke, the professor immediately crinkling his nose slightly as he nodded.

"I see, outside of the kingdoms, is it? Do not fret, Beacon will most certainly do its best to help you in any way possible. I am more than glad to lend you an ear should you need it." the man held a wise sense to his person, a sort of 'clown meets Impa' feeling that made link nod quickly. While he was more than slight extravagant in his mannerisms, if his introduction was anything to go by at least, he certainly appeared quite approachable when he toned it down. "Here's a little warning though, it would be best to steer clear of my friend Professor Oobleck, a green-haired fellow who teaches the history here. Should he hear that you come from outside the Kingdoms, he'll be on you like a horde of Nevermore!"

While the name meant nothing (though no doubt he was talking about some form of the creatures of darkness, Grimm), it was the conspiratorial way the man spoke, paired with the little grin upon his face that had Link returning the smile, somehow pulling out a new bowl and pushing it forward, the gesture well understood.

"Unfortunately, I cannot stop right now, even this conversation has made me late for a meeting I was supposed to be going to!" Professor Port sadly declined, Link trying to suppress the desire to remove the hand that fell upon his shoulder. "Just remember that the offer stands, both of you. Now, I mustn't interrupt your little date. To work I go!"

A slight blush came to Zelda's cheeks as they watched the man go, Link merely shrugging as he packed away the remains of the food. Though he had been rather fast to invite her into his home after Hyrule castle was clearly shown not to be a viable option, Zelda sometimes had to wonder what the reason was behind that. They acted as if they were best friends and of course, there was the fact that she was a princess and he was her knight, but best friends didn't live in the same house normally. Did he actually have the same feeling as she did?

No, there were better things to think about! Like what the people Link would have to interact with could be like. How would he handle those who were… less interested in learning? After all, there were always those who were arrogant enough to believe they needed no training and while Impa's methods had once been feared, she was rather protective of her techniques.

When she brought up the question, all she got was a knowing smile; who knew what that could mean?

* * *

"Now to prove your worth, you will be placed with the very students you will be expected to assist," Goodwitch informed Link. It had been a quiet week with little to do and after many months of free travelling between each of the different groups within Hyrule, the lack of access to anything other than the beacon grounds was starting to grate on him. At least now he would have a far greater number of people to interact with until he could finally receive the golden worlds that let him explore some of the other places he was told about! "We shall not speak about your staff involvement and you will be expected to do anything that any other student will have to in order to be accepted."

"Now, normally we would have the candidates sent in blind, however, there is one rule we must make you aware of." Goodwitch continued, her eyes barely straying from her scroll save to stare Link directly in the eyes. Not that it did much, considering that he had faced far worse than a simple academy teacher. "Teammates are designated through eye contact. The fact that you are not being assigned a team, however, means you're not allowed to make eye contact with any who aren't already in a partnership, understand?"

It was a simple rule, Link mused as he nodded. A rather strange one, but then again, so was having a rule that meant people became a team through eye contact.

"Well, we agree on that. Ozpin, however, has some rather strange tendencies that I'll probably give myself a headache trying to understand." Goodwitch answered, rolling her eyes briefly. "You will be informed more of your task later. Please be prepared for the arrival of students, new and old and tell your partner Zelda that Ozpin would like to converse with her more."

And with that, she left. Ever since their first introduction, the woman had been doing her abstract best to either avoid them or cut conversations as short as possible, something that had begun to get on Zelda's nerves and perhaps was starting on his. Sure, he never was one for epically long dialogues, but there was a difference between being brief and being rude. Regardless, the knight returned to the room he shared with Zelda, said girl, if her light humming meant anything, working upon her hair in the bathroom.

"So the new students are coming! Hopefully, the textbooks will be enough to make sure we don't seem too out of place…" Zelda muttered, glancing over to the corner where several different books sat innocently. All sorts of names and items had been crammed into their heads as soon as possible, the majority of them having their heads spinning. While the idea of humans and Faunus were basic enough – one had what was considered animalistic features (which apparently included Hylian ears from their first talk) and one didn't – but the concept of a mineral providing people with the ability to manipulate the elements? Every person having a 'semblance' that granted them a special ability each? An 'aura' that protected them from harm? If the people of Hyrule had that on a similar scale, perhaps Calamity Ganon might not have done so much damage.

They walked together towards the place where they were told that the newcomers and veterans alike would be coming from the skies to spend a year under the tuition of some of the world's, Remnant's, best. It was a strange thought, that whereas the two giant flying machines Link knew of had been designed purely for the single purpose of facing down the darkness, these were made for the transportation of people as well and on a mass scale. It made Hyrule seem so… basic.

If there was one thing he missed in Remnant, or at least, in Beacon, however, it was the lack of nature. Sure, it was present in select places but it just simply wasn't the same as the villages he had become used to. Even with civilisation doing its best to thrive, it worked in tandem with the natural beauty of the land. Here, it seemed there was a much grander emphasis on an-altered materials, even if what practically amounted to a moat surrounded the school buildings.

His thoughts were paused as he took in the sudden sound of roaring, one that he had only heard come from a Divine Beast. Looking to the skies, he let out a small gasp as he saw several of the gunmetal grey vehicles flying through the air towards the landing point, almost as if birds in flight. The Hylian vaguely remembered the name bullhead (a rather odd choice seeing as bulls didn't exactly fly) as they approached the cliff, his form strong as one opened up its doors and revealed the group held within.

* * *

They were certainly an eclectic lot, that was for certain. Clad in all sorts of colours that would either allow them to blend in perfectly or stick out like a sore thumb (not that his own friends far into the past had been any better when it came to subtlety), there were almost hundreds of people chatting and enjoying themselves, but it was the weapons they held by their side that truly had his interest peaked.

One particular girl clad in red and black was holding what was now a scythe – no big deal, if a little strange considering scythes were usually restrained to farming tools and he had only used one in combat for desperate measures. No, it was the fact that it had been born from a small rectangular box on her back, folding out incredibly into something that was just as tall, if not taller than the girl that wielded it. The closest equivalent he could think of were the various ancient weapons that he had come across or had paid to be created and even then, all that happened was that they retracted their energy made blades and protections.

"Such variety in their weapons…" Zelda muttered. "I'm sure Purah will be most interested to learn about these. Perhaps after I speak with Ozpin, I may learn more about their construction. For now, though, I must be off."

Link bid farewell to the princess with a light wave, returning to gaze upon the people passing by just in time to catch the girl he had been watching earlier tumble backwards and into another's luggage, a slight wince coming over him. If she was one of the new ones, then that was certainly one way to make an impression. In a normal situation, his first thought would be to simply leave it at that, help her up if she looked too dazzled but ultimately, it was a mistake that would help define her character; the goddesses knew how many times Link had made a fool of himself. This time, however, there was something he had to stop, and stop it he did.

The girl of white had been quite furiously shaking a bottle in her tirade and that had meant the contents of said bottle were beginning to leak out into the air. Considering the books had told him that dust was quite the volatile substance, he had to make sure she wouldn't continue being so reckless lest an anecdote from the book be repeated right before his eyes.

"What are you, braindead?" the girl in white had not been prepared for Link's sudden hand upon her wrist, a look of shock overcoming her as she tried wrenching her appendage from within the grasp of his own. "Who are you? Unhand me this instance!"

Why would he? She was clearly angry and mishandling a dangerous substance. If he had seen a child furiously messing with a shock arrow next to the river, he would've done the same thing.

"I am no child, I am Weiss Schnee! Do you not know who I am?" the girl, Weiss growled. That was good. Names meant he could remember who the dangerous people were and make sure he watched over them. "Stop treating me like I'm the one at fault! This idiot here was messing with my stuff!"

"To see an heiress to the Schnee Dust company being reprimanded and still throwing a tantrum like a child. Guess that's one way to make first impressions, especially considering that you hold the reputation of the largest energy propellant producer in the world."

The girl that approached held an oddly familiar feel to Link, as though he had felt a similar power before. That was ridiculous however, there had not been anything in this world that had felt like the powers of Hyrule save for the Grimm malice. The girl had a black buttoned vest over a cropped top and shorts; the only time he had seen shirts cut in such a way was the Gerudo and on occasion, the Rito. The biggest feature in the Hylian's opinion, however, was the bow covering her ears – had she faced the abuse that was thrown at Faunus in what the books showed to be horrific levels?

She must've caught where his eyes went, for her own suddenly widened for a brief second before she returned to her straight-faced composure.

"Considering the controversial labour forces and questionable business partners, I think this might actually be expected." Now that was a step too far, there was a difference between making a warning and simply taunting someone to see how they retaliate. The only acceptable time was in battle and even then, when done to another human, it was best to only use stuff you could apologise for. To insult her family's entire company and imply she was a disappointment to even them was pushing it. His glare was met by a roll of the eyes, yet the girl of black still backed down. Fortunately, so too did Weiss, meaning he was more than happy to let go of her hand before she stormed off.

"How can you defend people like her?" Came the whisper into the Hylian's ear, Link merely watching without a sound as the girl of red rushed to help the… servants? That came to pick up the knocked over property. "Her company has been discriminating against our kind for years, how can you let her personality off with a slap to the wrist?"

Ah yes, because he held the appearances that were associated with a Faunus, the students believed that he had probably faced the same issues as them. However, all the girl did was be mean spirited and do a reckless stunt – all that required was a stern telling off considering it was a first-time offence; he wasn't going to specifically target her simply for the sins of her family.

"I… I guess that makes sense." The girl of black finally admitted after some clear hesitation. "My name is Blake. Blake Belladonna. If you ever find yourself in something you don't think you can deal with, let me know."

It was only polite to introduce himself in return, watching her walk away after a handshake. She was short with her words just as Goodwitch was, but rather than a dislike, it appeared she was simply more introverted than others. Perhaps if Link had not the strange personality that invited those who talked less to speak with him, they may not have even talked at all. After all, she seemed so cold to even Ruby even though she was innocent. Then again, perhaps it was the fact that she was a Faunus and thought of himself as one.

"Hehe, sorry you had to see that. My name's Ruby, by the way, Ruby Rose at your service! What about you?" the girl of red was back, poking her fingers together in embarrassment. She needn't be so awkward about it – he had done far more embarrassing things than simply fall over by accident. "Really!? Er, sorry, I shouldn't be so happy about that! Anyway, um, do you… actually… knowwherewe'remeanttogorightnow?"

Excuse me? Oh, she wanted to know where they were meant to go. Fortunately, he had seen others moving towards a rather specific building, meaning it was a simple task to follow the path they had trodden. Before they could move too far though, they were once more stopped when a boy with golden hair dashed over to them, clad in jeans, a black hooded jumper and armour. It was strange, he was one of the first Link had seen that wore armour, very few people utilised it. Well, they had that Aura power that protected them in lieu, but that simply begged the question of why they wore armour in the first place.

"So it functions somewhat similarly to Daruk's protection… it may only take so many hits before it loses its effect and people take normal damage once more."

Ah yes, Zelda had been interested in it as well and if there was a way to find out the answers, of course the princess had managed to figure it out.

"Ah, it's you! The guy who threw up on the ship!" Ruby exclaimed, before her hand rapidly clamped down upon her lips as the boy flinched back almost in pain. "Sorry about that, that was rude."

"Hey, motion sickness is far more prevalent than it may seem at first!" the boy retaliated before a smile came onto his face. "L-let's forget about that. Name's Jaune Arc: short, sweet, rolls of the tongue, ladies love it!"

…How long had he practised that for? Even Bolson had never introduced himself in such a way and he certainly could be a little… flirtatious at times.

"Do they?"

"They will! At least, I hope they will… my mum said they will…"

There was silence once more as they made their way down, but Link simply couldn't draw his eyes away from the rectangle that sat upon Ruby's back. his glances must've been noticed, for the black-haired girl exuberantly pulled it off, a quick flick of her hands being all that was needed before the monstrous scythe unfolded once more.

"Do you like it? a powerful scythe forged from the strongest materials I could afford while also being a highly customisable high impact velocity sniper rifle!"

"What?"

"It's also a gun."

Ah yes, the gun that was so popular in Remnant. He had to admit, the idea of a near-instantaneous projectile weapon sounded ruthlessly efficient; it far exceeded anything that the Sheikah had managed to create at least, for even they barely progressed beyond arrows. The closest equivalent he could think of when he and Zelda first learnt of the tools was the Guardians' lasers and even that had the smallest of delays.

"Oh, so you use a sword? Does it transform into anything!?" Ruby preened, Link having to take a step back when she was immediately up in his face, staring at the Master Sword in its sheathe with glee. No, the Master Sword could not transform. Why on earth would it need to? He had more than enough different tools to get the job done. "So you have other stuff instead? Can you show it to me!?"

Well, perhaps showing off a little bit wouldn't hurt. He went through his various equipment, which must've looked absolutely ridiculous to the pair seeing as the special enchantments upon the pouch held the power of a Korok, meaning it was only visible to select few. Perhaps a ranged weapon would be best, and as soon as he thought of that the weapon Zelda had found mere moments before their arrival to the new world entered his grasp. Taking it into his hands, he held it out triumphantly, a gasp of awe escaping Ruby.

"Ah, a crossbow!" so that was what it was called, an ancient crossbow… "The build is amazing, look at all of the intricate detailing! Ooh, I'm not even holding it and I can already feel the kind of power it holds! What kind of ammo does it use!? Did you make it yourself!? Where's the loading port!? Can it utilise standard bolts or do you have to make your own!?"

Unfortunately, he didn't have the answer to those questions, meaning that with a pout from the young girl, he was putting the ancient crossbow back into his pouch (or in the eyes of Ruby and Jaune, simply tucking it behind his back where it suddenly disappeared). Naturally, that meant Ruby's interests moved over to where Jaune was standing, the boy letting out an awkward chuckle at the unspoken question.

"Well, you see… I've got a sword too, non-transforming one." Jaune stated, pulling the blade out of the white sheath that hung at the boy's side. Link had to admit, though it didn't hold that flair that the transforming weapon of Ruby's had, it was on exceptional build – it would serve a knight well for many years to come and had already done so by the slightest of kinks that had been missed when polishing. "The sheathe also becomes a shield! And when I get tired of carrying it, then I can just put it away."

Wouldn't that still mean he would have to carry it as a sheath though?

"Yeah, that's true…"

"It's cool though! Got to love the retro weapons." Ruby awkwardly chuckled, clutching her weapon tightly to her chest. "I'm kind of a dork when it comes to weapons, I guess I did go a little bit overboard when it came to creating Crescent Rose."

So one as young as Ruby managed to create her own weapon? If it was a simple sword, it was an act worthy of praise, the fact that the mechanics behind it were probably incredibly complex merely adding to the awe of the act. Jaune too was looking at the girl with amazement in his eyes, eliciting a slight blush from the dark-haired girl.

"Well everyone does it at Signal. Didn't you create your weapons?" the girl replied, Jaune gaining a saddened look upon his face as he put the sword in his hands away.

"Crocea Mors is more of a hand-me-down. My great-great-great-grandfather used it when he fought in the Great War."

Ah, sounds more like a family heirloom to me!"

And with that, they finally arrived at the hall where the first part of the students' initiation was to occur. This was where Ozpin was going to speak, and if Ozpin was going to be here, then surely…

"Ah, Link! I'm glad to see you made it on time."

"Woah, so pretty…!" Ruby apparently couldn't hold herself back when she first caught a glimpse of the princess, Zelda' s chuckles quickly bringing a blush to her face. "That was weird of me, wasn't it? I'm not good at this whole socialising thing…"

"Please, don't fret. I'm not going to be insulted by a compliment." Zelda reassured, leaning forward with her hands behind her back. sure enough, Ruby was near entranced by the woman before her and for good reason. She could not live up to the full potential of being a princess of Hyrule if she couldn't empathise with those under her. "I see you've met my friend Link. Tell me, what do you think of him?"

"Oh, he's so cool! I accidentally ran into a girl's luggage and then she started yelling at me and shaking dust at me and I started to sniffle and I thought I was going to explode, but then all of a sudden, he came out of nowhere and stopped the girl from yelling at me and then we didn't explode and he helped me get here when I had no idea where I was going!" Ruby truly did have some rather impressive lungs considering she managed to say all of that in a single breath. Zelda, however, nodded when necessary, apparently unbothered by the rambling.

"That's good to hear. I don't think it would be Link if he didn't help out a damsel in distress when he saw one, especially one as cute as you." Had anyone else said something like that, it probably would've been taken in a much more flirtatious context, but Zelda had experienced the ways of Urbosa, champion of the Gerudo. A hand upon Ruby's shoulder a small smile had the girl momentarily dazzled by the warmth exuding off the princess before she let out a small sigh. "It's nice to see you making friends Link. I would've been rather upset if with all the time we're going to spend here, you only spoke with me and the staff."

Well, there were others as well. Blake Belladonna, who had walked away before and had disappeared to who knows where in the giant hall and… wait, where was Jaune? How did he manage to get lost already when all they did was through the door? Oh well, Link would get the opportunity to introduce the two later. He wanted to know what the Princess had talked about.

"Well, to try and comprehend the basic construction of the scrolls, I need to go through the basics of engineering and the like. That means it could take whoever knows how long to comprehend whether the technology of the Sheikah slate matches that of the scrolls and even longer before we can figure out whether we can combine this sort of knowledge with my magic education to alter how the runes function to try and create a portal back home." The Princess remarked, a slight pout coming onto her face. The thought of spending so long away from her kingdom while they were trying their hardest to piece it back together must've been ever so crushing for her.

"Here, from what I've heard, it would probably be best for you to hold onto the Sheikah slate for now." The Princess declared, Link accepting the object with a single raised eyebrow. "Tomorrow will be the day where you enter into combat once more, it would best if you had it with you now rather than have me rushing to find you once more."

Ah yes, he was going to be going wherever they put the students for the night, whereas Zelda was returning to the dorm they had already been given. The instinct that had been nurtured inside the knight didn't like that thought one bit, that the princess would be left vulnerable while he went and left her despite being appointed as her specific guard. Zelda, however, was a fiercely independent woman, and if ever voiced that now, he would surely end up having to sit through a tirade of how she could most definitely do stuff for herself, thank you very much! instead, he passed over the ancient crossbow she had uncovered, the gentle warning taken with a smile.

"We're in a school full of warriors and we know that there's little chance of the Grimm noticing us, even if they did hold the intelligence like the blights. I'm certain that there will be nothing that may cause harm to me." Zelda reassured with a giggle. "Thank you for your concern though Link. It's nice to know that you're always looking out for me."

"Um… am I interrupting something? Are you two…?" Ah, Link almost forgot that she was still there. T be honest, he had gotten so used to being alone with the princess here, he forgot his own station. Stepping backwards, the princess let out a light cough, turning her head away for whatever reason while he returned to an eased position, ready to move at a moment's notice. In public, they were a princess and her knight, even if the others didn't notice it.

"Sorry about that, that was rather rude of us," Zelda muttered as she bowed her head, a deep breath having her composure returned to her. "Now, you seem to be rather young to be here, don't you? I'm fairly certain the entry age for this Academy is seventeen."

"Yeah, it's true. I just kinda… stopped a shop from being robbed." Ruby admitted with a weak chuckle, rubbing the back of her head. "I was just minding my own business, then I feel this tap on the back of my shoulder and there was this guy trying to rob the store with a whole gang and stuff and I couldn't stand by while someone was being robbed and so we fought, but they managed to get away, but Goodwitch managed to see it all-!"

"Breathe Ruby! You should be proud, if Goodwitch brought you here, then you most certainly deserved to be here." Zelda praised, Ruby inwardly preening.

Even if she started with minus one friends, now she had three more!

She hoped.


	3. Ready to begin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On slapstick and survival.

When Ozpin had claimed he would keep his speech brief, Link was quite pleasantly surprised to find that it truly was so. He had spoken wise words though, even if Ruby hadn't looked as if she was fully paying attention and a glance to his side showed that Zelda too approved of his point, however short it may be. Still, there was something different about the man then compared to the other times the Hylian had conversed with him, he seemed almost… well, Link wasn't quite sure.

"It's almost like he wasn't even there," Ruby muttered in agreement at his side, folding her arms with a small sigh. Link returned his eyes to the princess, merely seeing her finger meeting her lips with a small wink. They were told they would gather in the ballroom tonight, so they at least had some time before the sun would begin to set.

"Ooh, ooh, I have to introduce you two to my sister!" Ruby suddenly suggested, the girl suddenly barely more than a flash of red in their vision before she returned with a much taller blonde clad in a brown jacket and belt, her shorts and shirt of yellow clinging on surprisingly tight to her body. Did that not feel uncomfortable? Even Zelda's shirt, which gave the impression of fitting far tighter than other garments, seemed looser than that. "Yang, these are Link and Zelda! They helped me make my way here after I nearly exploded!"

"Wait, you nearly exploded?" the now-named Yang remarked before violet eyes turned upon them to briefly scan them over. Apparently, they passed whatever test she had, for a smile came upon her face. "Sorry about Ruby. She'd be a mess without friendly guys and gals like you around and apparently, she would've also exploded."

"To be fair, there was this really crabby girl, and she started yelling at me when you left me because I accidentally knocked over her bags, and then she started shaking dust all around and then I started to feel a bit sneezy, but then Link came and stopped the dust and then another person came and the managed to scare-!"

"Breathe lil' sis, breathe!" Yang interrupted, grabbing the smaller girl around the shoulders. "Anyway, moral of the story: you have two more friends! Good for you, that's a two hundred per cent increase!"

"Ah, to have a sister. I always did want to have one, someone I could chat with and play with." Zelda sighed. Her childhood had been a pleasant one, yes, but one that had been woefully lonely save for the stuffy tutors she had. Save for a select few of the guards and people she got to talk with outside of the castle, Link was pretty sure she had no friends until she finally got to speak with the champions. "You must care for each other a lot."

"Naturally! Without me, she would probably be in a hole or something by now." Yang immediately answered, a knowing grin having Ruby kick of the hand around her shoulder with a small pout, bringing laughter to the elder sibling. To have an older sister… perhaps Mipha, or Urbosa. They had cared for his safety, been there when the stress seemed too great and even know, they resided within his heart, watching over him from the next world… "Anyway, you two lovebirds probably want some time alone together, right? I'll take Ruby with me and you can do _what you've got to do_."

"Excuse me!?" but Yang was gone with a cheeky grin, leaving him and the Princess alone in a quickly vacating hall. The two's eyes met for a brief stunned moment before they turned away quickly, the knight's experience suppressing his emotions killing the blush that came to his face far faster than Zelda's.

They, they should probably go now.

"Yes, you're right."

* * *

The night came soon enough and Link found himself rather at ease within the Ballroom. While many had been quite averse to his silent nature and a couple had merely taken a single look to his ears before rude remarks came his way, he had eventually managed to find a few that were willing to welcome him into their games. Needless to say, after a few tries to properly understand the rules, Link was becoming a solid player. It was far better, he supposed, to be recognised as a friendly character than someone standoffish after all and considering what he would eventually be doing, a good first impression became all the more critical.

Right now, however, he was more than happy with his cosy little corner, one where few people were currently chatting with their friends and making new ones. It was peaceful, or at least, peaceful enough for him. It would never reach the ever so tranquil state that was a slowly recovering Hyrule at night out in the open, the diminishing number of monsters making camping all the more viable. His peace was soon interrupted, however (though to use the term interrupt would be quite false considering how quietly she appeared beside him) by the presence of a girl taking the place beside him, unfolding her sleeping bag with practised skill and not even a single word. Blake, that was what she had told him.

"You okay?" came the whisper, Link turning with a nod. He hadn't seen her at all in the hall. "I'm not a big fan of large crowds. I was hanging around the back. I noticed you were having some… trouble, with a couple of the people here."

Ah yes, that was certainly an interesting experience. It wasn't as if there was much of a physical confrontation, but things were beginning to reach that point. He had been minding his own business, scrolling through the pictures upon the Sheikah slate when all of a sudden, some rather scathing voices cut through the air.

"Can you believe they actually still let the animals into a place like this?" one had decidedly remarked with a scathing chuckle, his friends joining in as if it was one of the best jokes he could've ever told. "Might as well bring my pets – apparently they have what it takes to becomes Huntsmen!"

They were not the most exciting of comments and if Link hadn't been informed that the issue was far more widespread than just a couple of people, he might've dismissed it as just some boys trying to bolster their egos; they would have _that_ beaten out of them no doubt come the second day. He could remember it now, they had been training in the courtyard and almost immediately, he had been challenged by one of the more boisterous of the recruits. His small stature, Link was certain, as well as his relaxed nature had resulted in him appearing easy pickings.

The man had fallen in a single swift blow to the head.

However, he couldn't exactly do the same thing here, the knight was fairly certain, so he did what he knew best – he had remained quiet and kept an eye upon their group. Names could be dealt with, it was if they decided to get a little bit physical when the situation would get a bit hairier.

"Can't even think about a comeback. All you Faunus are the same: you can bark all you want, but when it comes to the bite, you're just not good eno-!" the brown-haired boy, however, had just that in plan, a fist heading towards the back of his head in a move that would probably have dealt quite a fair bit of damage to someone who wasn't putting any focus. Unfortunately for him then, Link was most certainly _not_ that kind of person. A swift hand had taken a grasp of the boy's own, Cardin if his friends' cries of surprise were true. You would be surprised how well you could cow a group with a sufficient enough glare and tightness to your grip.

As Link finished off his recount, Blake merely gave a blank stare, a flicker of a smile appearing upon her face as she formulated her words.

"You're not what I expected and exactly what I expected." The dark clothed girl remarked eventually. "Most Faunus, even those who come here, they would've either done nothing or tried to fight them. You managed to stop them with a look and a single grip. You even… you even managed to tell the truth as soon as you saw me."

Well, that was simply good observational skills and trained ability, he couldn't claim too much credit for that. Link was pretty certain that there were more than a few other people who could've achieved the same effect. His answer only served to bring forth a shake of Blake's head, the girl setting off to get changed. He would've done so as well but while there had been a great number of things that had been sucked through the portal that had sent him and Zelda into this new world, his necessities had not made in through the journey if they had even been brought through at all.

TL;DR – he left his stuff back in their shared room.

Rising from his position and making sure that his stuff wasn't as likely to be stolen as if he had left them out in the open, Link made his way towards the doorway of the ballroom and with a firm grip upon the door's handle, didn't make the wood budge an inch.

Excuse me?

" _Students are to remain within the ballroom until further notice E.G: preparation for the initiation during the morning. Should an issue arise, please use the support number inputted to your scroll."_ Spoke a droning voice of monotone, Link's mind already making all of the necessary connections. If they had managed to send a number to the scrolls everyone else had, then there would be no need to have the teachers doing what automatons could accomplish. The only issue, in that case, was that thanks to the Sheikah slate refusing to connect with the technology of Remnant, he had no way to get his cleaning stuff. While he was perfectly fine without the stuff, a resistance born through many a wild night in Hyrule, he had other people to think about.

Zelda only let him do so when it was _absolutely necessary._ It wasn't suited for the royal knight to be so unclean when he had to be by the princess' side.

Luckily, there was a window, one which had let in the moonlight from a shattered moon (boy was that a grand surprise for them to notice when they had been out to watch the stars) to colour the ballroom. One glance to confirm that yes, there was indeed everything he needed to make it all the way, he was already leaping out, grabbing a hold of the wall as he looked downwards. The drop wasn't too big and it was fairly easy to handle – now, to the dorm room.

The only flaw that would eventually come up in his plan was that he had not the key to the room. He and Zelda had usually been found together most of the time, meaning the one scroll that acted as a key had been left in their _joint_ possession. With Link on the outside without a key and the princess surely making preparations for an early rest as she always did, he would be in a struggle to be heard. That meant he had to play with another one of his princess' habits.

She enjoyed the breeze of an open window.

Several cliffs that should not have been scalable for a Hylian ad trained him for this very moment as he reached the dorm building, not a single moment of hesitation before he was scaling the stone brick that made up their residence. Seeing as they had been situated in a place that was, until the new first years moved in, pretty empty, it wasn't at all difficult to tell that the open window led to their dorm and as soon as he got his body through the window he let out a cheer of success. Now, to the bathroom, the incredibly strange bathroom that had a machine to rain down water upon you – a shower- to find his stuff!

Link had not, however, factored in the fact that he was not actually meant to be there, meaning that Zelda was not expecting any visitors. The fact that she had recently washed also meant she felt a bit more vulnerable than usual and despite her suggestions previously, had decided to keep the ancient crossbow by her side at all times.

As soon as princess Zelda noticed the strange figure approaching the bathroom, her aim was true and the blast radius surprisingly large. She had been spared, but the figure was rolling about on the ground, his moans sounding… a lot… like…

"Link!?"

_A love beyond words flooded Link's heart, sending the held back emotions of a Zora princess flowing through his very being. In no time at all, it wasn't as if he was fine; Link felt as if he had exceeded his normal health, the final whispers of her confession lost to the wind._

If he had not been who he was, he literally would've died.

"Words cannot say how sorry I am, that was horrible of me!" Zelda exclaimed, uncaring for her rather revealed form as she dashed over to her knight's side. "What on earth are you doing here though? Should you not be with the others at this time of night?"

With a tired arm, he simply pointed to the sink, where his stuff still sat waiting to be used. There was a brief silence, Zelda's eyes stuck moving between the sink and her servant before a realisation most horrid came over her.

"I attacked you, almost killed you… because you came for a cloth and toothbrush?"

Yep. Yep, that was starting to sound like the truth. It felt like the truth. The truth hurt more than Link had been expecting.

* * *

After that last incident, Link had been much more tender returning to the ballroom, his paraglider making the trip much smoother than the first. After a chat with Zelda, all of the students had fallen prey to the allure of sleep, meaning there was no issue with preparing himself and joining them. Somehow, falling asleep last also meant he was one of the first to wake up and so, with a bright grin on his face, he set about outside with plans in his mind (this time, with the doors open for people to be able to access the preparation area and the small garden outside.)

Blake let her eyes flutter open without a sound, a moment needed to remember just where she was and why about a hundred people were surrounding her. A gentle yawn brought her to her feet and after a quick wash and a change of clothes, she set about treading her way towards the cafeteria. She had no idea what kind of food they were going to serve, but if her experiences meant anything, you couldn't exactly bet on school food being the best even in one of the most renowned establishments like Beacon. A sudden scent, however, had the girl immediately perking up from her sleepy demeanour, something wondrous, something divine.

Though there were none to see it, the girl's bow immediately perked up as she gave a few more gentle sniffs, following the scent trail with the curiosity of a cat. had Blake been a bit more awake, perhaps she wouldn't have followed the smell, but her sleepiness combined with her hunger was what drove her to what was eventually revealed to be a… cooking pot? There was that other Faunus as well, Link: he had, for some reason, started a fire on campus and was already beginning to cook some _fish. Where did he get fish from?_

A light tune was on his lips and from the looks of things, he was completely lost in his own world. That didn't make his movements any less precise, however, for every movement seemed perfectly controlled, ever flip perfect, the sounds of sizzling oil like a symphony to the girl's ears and all she wanted to do was eat! Before Blake could even fully recognise what she was doing, she was already sitting by the pot, Link's look of surprise turning into one of understanding as he pulled one of the specimens to test, the dark coloured girl's eyes following his every movement.

The Hylian himself had known of Blake's approach behind him – from her lazy footsteps and slight yawns, it would've been impossible for a child to miss her, let alone a trained knight. As soon as she sat down, her actions made her desires clear and to be honest, he had already seasoned the roasted fish; he merely wanted to see whether his instincts were right and true enough, she really did follow the fish with her eyes. Cool.

"Ah, sorry. I guess I got a little… caught up." Blake suddenly apologised, her mind-set back to normal as she noticed Link's snickering. Considering how she had shown herself before, he had never expected to see such a strange side to her. Still, he had made more food than he actually needed (though it did go unspoken that Link had planned to eat it all…) so it wasn't as if he didn't have some left to share. "Really!? Er, I mean, thanks for the offer. Sure, I'll have one."

After a rather filling breakfast, the two began a slow walk towards the locker rooms, Blake having locked her equipment in there just as the other students had done. Of course, though the school had assigned him one, his locker was completely empty; there was little reason for him to have one after all when he could carry far more than a measly metal box could on his person. He did kind of like the idea that it could take to the skies though. It seemed like such a novel idea.

"I wouldn't mind having you as a partner." Blake had so bluntly remarked as she checked over what she had named Gambol Shroud, a rather remarkable weapon that managed to combine a pistol with a katana, a ribbon tied around her hand that let her use it like a whip and even a sharpened sheath (though wasn't half of the point of a sheath to protect the user from a weapons' sharp edges?). That was a reminder though, a reminder of the fact that he wasn't allowed to team up with anyone. A relatively easy act on paper, yes, but it also meant he wasn't allowed to look anyone in the eyes and that was bound to come across as suspicious. Still, he couldn't let that be known and he most certainly didn't want to alienate a new friend.

So he replied that he too would like to be partners with Blake.

After that, there was little more than companionable silence and minor chatter until they found themselves upon the Cliffside where their initiation would begin, many others sharing the same wary look as they were directed onto silver squares that looked quite off upon the grass. Had they a different shape and some lights, he might've thought there was a shrine to be had, but something in Ozpin's eyes told him that wasn't exactly going to be the case, nor anything just as nice.

"For years, you have trained to become warriors." The headmaster began with a sip of his coffee, Goodwitch standing proudly beside him with a firm frown. "Today, the abilities that you have been fostering shall be evaluated within the Emerald Forest."

"Now, I'm sure many of you have heard rumours about how teams are allocated here." Goodwitch took over, her scroll held tightly in hand. "Well, allow us to put an end to your confusion. Each of you will be given your teammates… today."

"These teammates will be the people who stand beside you until you leave the doors of Beacon as a graduate, though It would be a fool's bet to say that the majority of you will stay together even beyond your time as a student." Ozpin continued, Link letting out a sigh. Couldn't they just get on with telling them what was going to happen and get started? Perhaps it was the fact that he already knew how teams were allocated, but this simply felt like obvious knowledge. "It is thus in your best interest to be paired with someone you will work well with. That said, the first person you make eye contact with after landing shall be your partner for the next four years."

Had the news been new to him, Link probably would've been a bit more surprised with the allocation system and indeed, it was a rather strange and risky one. However, unlike the others, the Hylian was far more interested in the idea of 'after landing'. That meant they would be dropped off within the Emerald Forest and considering how they were right next to the edge, it didn't seem as if there was any reason to be dropped off.

"After you've found your partners, make your way towards the northern end of the forest. It is important to recognise that there will be obstacles within your path, perhaps even obstacles none of you have prepared for. Do not hesitate to obliterate all that comes across your path or you will die." Ozpin explained. "You will be graded and monitored for the duration of your initiation. The majority of our instructors will not intervene, however, things are not all as they seem. Take that how you will. An abandoned temple at the end of the path contains several relics. Each pair will choose one and then return to the cliff. That item and your standing will affect your grade. Any questions?"

"Yeah, um, sir?"

"Good! Take your positions!" as Jaune floundered to ask his questions and the others prepared their stance, Link took the moment to create his battle plans. It would be much easier for him to avoid the others with his strategy and a quick crouch had the medallion placed on the ground, a glowing blue light signalling its activation. Now, he didn't even have to worry about getting back to the clifftop considering he didn't need to also bring along a second person.

They were being steadily launched off the clifftop, the platforms they were stood on soon revealing themselves to be spring-loaded as Jaune's questions became more fevered. Ozpin seemed as if he was having the time of his life answering the boy's questions with half-truths and dodges, but that wasn't his biggest concern at the moment. The master sword was ready in its sheath, the savage Lynel's bow tightened upon his back and his arrows all prepped in their quiver. Crouching down drew a couple of odd looks, but the Hylian was too focused to take proper note of them.

_A Rito's confidence that Link could not explain flooded his body, adrenaline flushing through him. The wind that swirled around him seemed welcoming, for it knew that there could not be a better person to take to the skies. In the air, he would be unchallenged._

The winds that gathered around the Hylian pushed the people beside him away for a brief moment, the unfortunate side effect being that the boy who was being launched before him had the most awkward of launches to deal with, flying off in the distance with no coordination at all. What it did mean however was that when Link was sent upwards, the spirit of the greatest Rito archer sent him flying far higher than any other, soaring through the air above his fellow fighters.

As he started reaching their height, however, he reached into his pouch, immediately feeling the effects of the paraglider as it brought him down to a reasonable speed and he was able to properly survey the area. Though many trees blocked his vision, it was still clear to the Hylian that many black spots were gathering about the forest, restless spirits realising that there was new prey entering their territory and preparing their assault. Unlike the Forever Fall Forest, however, there were far more than individuals working to murder those who entered, just like the settlements of monsters back home. A little fiddle with the Sheikah slate at his side had a blue light gathered by his side, a single arm reaching out to grab ahold of the glowing bomb that burst to life beside him and it dropped with barely a sound.

Now, while there was a chance for Grimm to grow to incredible levels of intelligence with time, it was rare to find such an evolved Grimm in an area that was very frequently used for hunting by new recruits. Thus, when they first noticed the strange glowing ball of blue fall from the sky, their first instinct was to surround the strange object, not noticing the little figure that hovered above them. Not a second later, however, did the odd orb explode with a fierce blast, two of those who had hunched forth too much flying back into their companions to make way for the Knight's landing.

There was no time to hesitate, the blonde pulling the bow from his back as fast as he put away the paraglider. With a single closed eye and a breath's time to aim, several arrows were sent flying towards the group, somehow inexplicably becoming thrice the number as the deadly projectiles rained down.

While some were able to cut down the arrows, their claws having a much easier time cleaving through wood than they would've bullets, the sheer number meant that another found itself falling to the floor, its friend just barely surviving until it received the Master Sword through the head.

As Link rose to his full height (which admittedly, against the size of the Beowolves, wasn't exactly as grandiose as he thought it would be), he watched the dark creatures back away, their primal instincts immediately telling them of the danger his weapon held, a trio of the creatures surging forth to destroy the horrific weapon before it could be used against more of them. A shield protected the Hylian from the claws, a quick leap dodging the slash that would've obliterated his knees as he backed away, in a purely physical fight, he would be done in mere moments, but the advantages of his weapon meant that they were frightened.

Frightened enemies were much easier to deal with.

Slipping away from the claws at the last moment meant his movements became barely more than a blur in the wind, practised sword techniques from hundreds of years ago slicing through his enemies as if they were butter and to the master Sword, a blade forged with the specific purpose of destroying dark malicious creatures like the Grimm, they might as well have been. They had not been prepared to face a truly practised killer yet though they knew of the danger they were in, every Beowolf that could muster the courage charged forward and the chaos began in earnest.

Two struck from the sides, quick slashes across the entirety of their bodies bringing them to their knees before they knew it. Shield forward, the powerful punch sending Link backwards as his heels dug into the ground. Flip the sword into a reverse grip, the first Beowolf's push sending it perfectly into one of its brethren before it could strike and a parry leaving the pusher's flesh (could it be called flesh?) exposed to the Master Sword.

A raid spin had several more of the creatures utterly obliterated and by now, the Beowolves had at least wizened up. Though the Hylian himself would not know it, Ozpin and Glynda had to raise their eyebrows at the sight of a Beowolf _horde_ retreating from a single person, though it was for nought. As Link raised the Master Sword to the sky, a slight glow took over its blade and with a swift slash downward, a beam of pure light sliced through whatever remainders still stood.

When Link was met with silence once more, the knight did not drop his stance. Instead, he charged forward, surprisingly quiet as he dashed towards his target. From the orders of Ozpin, all participants were meant to find their partner before they arrived at the northern ruins; if he simply awaited them all there, then he wouldn't have to worry about facing any individuals and ruining the whole set up.

The sound of primal roar, however, had Link pause in his step, the sight of a massive tree trunk heading towards him having the Hylian reel back. Pulling the Sheikah slate from his side and thrusting it forth, yellow energy burst out to encase the entire piece of wood, a gentle ticking filling the air as it quite literally was frozen in time. There was no need to think about what had sent such a massive projectile at him - a bear-like Grimm burst forth from the trees to his right and it was only a sharp twist upon his foot that prevented Link from getting bisected. Now that the time-frozen tree was in front of him however, a plan came to his mind.

To anyone else, the idea that hacking away at a tree with a sword would do anything more than simply break through the wood was rather strange and they also would've sworn at that moment, the bear-like Grimm was feeling the same, hesitating. However, normally, trees weren't caught in the power of stasis and no one else could see the arrow Link saw, growing in size and colour as it pointed towards the Ursa which just so happened to decide that nothing was happening and it was free to attack.

No one watching Link was prepared for when the yellow energy around the tree broke with the sound of shattering glass.

The tree shot forward with immense energy, partially disintegrating as it smashed into the roaring Grimm. Distracted by the shards that fell around it and pierced into its flesh, it wasn't aware of the little man who struck forth, piercing the leg with a strike that brought it to all fours. The new position made it far easier for Link to leap skyward, metal piercing the beast's mask as with a final death cry, it dissolved back into the darkness from whence it came. That was far easier than it should've been, Link mused. Although, it wasn't every day that a creature like that had to deal with a giant obstacle like that; none of the monsters he had faced in his journey had ever got used to the idea of Link forcing a boulder down to crush them all, or taking a metal box and dropping it upon them.

He could hear them. Link could hear the battles that were going in other parts of the forest, meaning they were getting close. Nobody ever said that teenagers would do as Link expected just because they had been told not to go to the north before they found their partner. Letting his eyes shut, the Hylian let out a deep breath. Hopefully, his ears would prove good enough for him to make his way safely to open space.

Was that tree always there?

It's a forest, of course it was always there. Stupid, stupid.

Luckily no other trees decided to be cruel and place themselves directly before Link and the dash ahead was as calm as it could be considering that he was trying to avoid eye contact with any of the people that were starting to get closer and closer to his position by the moment.

"Hey, is there anyone out there!?"

It almost felt as if he was being hunted down rather than the much weirder reason for his running and avoidance. Link didn't have the time nor the safety to swap out to his Sheikah outfit and he rarely needed the elixirs after he had empowered the suit; the best he could do was hope they couldn't hear his running and make it to the abandoned temple and hide until they found a partner.

"Is it an Ursa? I'm pretty sure I heard one back from the way we came."

Oh thank the goddesses, there was a second voice. That meant that whoever the person was, they had already found themselves a partner; even if they were to cross paths, he would simply look as if he was searching still. That might mean they would try and force a partner on Link though and he certainly didn't want a person to be misled, leading to the knight still rushing forward.

The abandoned temple itself wasn't as impressive as Link was expecting it to be. Indeed, the majority of it had completely withered away with time, leaving what was probably what remained of a single room, large as it was. Several different pedestals sat within, a different chess piece held upon them in either gold or black or at least, the Hylian assumed so – a few of them had already been taken. A quick scan of the area showed little threat, whatever Grimm out there deeper into the foliage, but the sound of footsteps had Link dashing behind the stone, ears twitching slightly.

"Think this is it?" that voice, it was familiar. Ruby's sister, the one called Yang and probably her partner, considering how there were two sets of footsteps. Maybe – they were stood upon grass and that made deciphering any sounds that were produced far more difficult than any other ground.

"Chess pieces?" yes, that was definitely Blake and that meant they _were_ partnered! Link came around the corner, arms immediately raised in surrender when the sounds of two different kinds of weapons prepping themselves were heard. Blake was the first to remove her hand from her hilt, bow slightly twitching as she took in his form. "Link, you don't have a partner?"

Well, he had been kind of avoiding everyone to get here. There were a couple of times where he almost might've got a partner, but he managed to avoid them just in the nick of time.

"Wait, you avoided getting a partner? The whole point of this is getting a partner!" yang countered, but whatever answer Link would give was cut off by the slightest sound in the distance, something that Blake caught to as they turned to the skies in surprise. "Wait, do you hear that? There's a girl in trouble!"

No, that was the sound of Jaune screaming and he was worried about the boy's state as well, but the object flailing madly in the sky had their concern at the moment. It wasn't until the last moment that Yang actually caught sight of the red missile heading in her direction, Link pushing the blonde brawler back as he held forth the Sheikah slate. If he was quick enough…!

The yellow energy of stasis crawled over Ruby's body, her expression frozen in abstract fear as all momentum the girl had was completely lost. Stasis didn't work mas well on humans though, and he could already feel the power of the rune breaking away, but it didn't matter. The girl's speed was brought down to nothing and all that came from her now minor fall was a slight yelp. Checking her over, the red hooded scythe wielder seemed perfectly fine from the fall, if a little disoriented. He knew he would have to explain this to the other two and they were already approaching. While he was fortunate enough that yang immediately went to her sister, Blake's full attention was left on Link.

That did mean she missed Jaune flying across the sky though.

Stasis hadn't recharged yet.


	4. A battle commences

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On forests and final smashes

"An Ursa!" Blake called out, said bear Grimm rampaging as it tore through the trees with what seemed to be an… ecstatic cry of joy? An explosion upon the back of its head brought the creature down to the ground completely dead, a redhead clad in pink happily sliding down the corpse's arm from her position with the brightest grin possible.

"Aw, I think I broke it Ren…" the girl lamented, presumably her partner crawling from behind the black beats with more than a little discomfort upon his face. Most likely, he had been dragged along for the fever ride by the energetic girl – that would be a fun partnership for sure.

"Nora… please… don't ever do that again." The boy gasped out, dusting off his green shirt as he looked around. The pink-eyed boy, however, wouldn't find his partner anywhere close though; the now named Nora already admiring the golden rook piece that sat so temptingly upon the pedestal. With no hesitation at all, she grabbed the piece in her hand, happily dancing about with a cheerful tune on her lips. Her excitement reminded Link of some of the Zora children he had come across, happily swimming circles around him with a hundred questions on their mind. "NORA!"

"Hehe, coming Ren!" of course that wasn't the end of it though – it would never be that easy. One more girl came bursting through the foliage, clad in bronze armour and being followed by a crazed scorpion-like Grimm. The bone-white pincers chopped down several trees with every attempt and there was no doubt in their minds that it was probably hoping for the girl to be next. A golden stinger tried to pierce her, a single roll being all that prevented the girl from having a brand new hole in her stomach.

"Jaune!"

"Pyrrha!" came from the treetops. So that was where Jaune ended up.

" **Oh for goodness sake, can you all just settle down for two seconds before something else insane happens!?"** Yang suddenly erupted, both linguistically and quite literally; a yellow flame covered her body as lilac eyes turned red, the girl's panting being the only noise for two seconds before their attention was brought once more to the sky, a tiny white dot still clinging on to a bird's leg for dear life.

"How could you leave me!?" the white dot called out, Ruby's face looking mightily embarrassed as she called back.

"I told you to jump!" well, she didn't exactly jump as Ruby commanded. Link supposed it was more of a 'let go because she wasn't able to hold on anymore', but in the end, she did end up falling to what was most certainly going to be her doom from that height. It was at that moment however when a blonde miracle came flying from the leaves, Jaune pushing out his arms to catch the falling heiress in a gentle hold as he gave the most brilliant charmer's smile he could muster.

"Just dropping in?" but the only issue was, he was still dropping. Which meant they were both dropping. Which meant now, there were two people in need of saving. The sound of a beep by his side spurred Link into action, the Sheikah slate held forth once more as the energy burst out. Just before they could touch the ground, Jaune's screaming suddenly stopped, the blond covered in yellow as Weiss, though needing a moment to regain her bearings, stepped gently off his grip. Unfortunately, he had been too close to the ground for Link to properly catch him, meaning that Jaune was left to flop ungracefully upon the ground, just as Pyrrha was smashed into their group by the scorpion.

"Right then, we've got a Deathstalker upfront and a Nevermore up top." Yang sighed, cracking her knuckles with a grin. "Well, at least the gang's all here. That means we can all die together!"

"Not if I can help it!" Before Link could even put up a hand to stop her, Ruby was shooting forward with all of the speed granted to her by her Crescent Rose and more. That didn't mean it was that much easier to pierce through the Deathstalker's armour though, the girl bouncing off like a ball as she rolled upon the ground. Rushing to her feet, the little reaper tried to dash away, but her actions had already drawn the ire of the Nevermore above; with a quick aim, feathers bolted her to the ground by her cape, blocking all access to her save for a small gap. "Um, do-don't worry1 I'll be out in a second!"

"Hurry up Ruby!" Yang cried in return, trying to punch her way through the feathers, but they were simply too strong and too large to properly break through. The Deathstalker's stinger of gold rose high, perfectly aimed to gouge out the girl and had it not been for the wall of ice blocking its path, it most certainly would have…

Wait, what?

"You are _so_ childish."

"Weiss?"

"And dim-witted, and hyperactive and _don't_ even get me started on your fighting style." The white-clad warrior continued regardless, turning around with folded arms and a withering sigh. "And I suppose I too can be a bit… difficult. But if we're going to do this, then we're going to have to do this thing together. Therefore, if you quit trying to show off, I suppose I can be… nicer."

"I'm not trying to show off. I want you to know I can do this."

"You were fine." She might've been fine then, but she wasn't fine now! Though Weiss had managed to trap the golden stinger within her wall of ice, the Hylian could already begin to see the fractures forming within and with all the strength he could muster, he rushed forward. He had to call out to Yang though, who had darted directly to her sister – they needed to get away, fast!

"Got it!" the blonde called out, Sister shoved in front of her as they both dashed back to the safety of the group. Good thing too, as that was the exact moment the ice chose to break and the Deathstalker was once more ready to rip any that came across it in two. A quick analysis had his plan formulated; the stinger didn't have the same protection compared to the rest of its body and if he planned it correctly…

_The might of a Goron surrounded Link like a bubble, fiery energy covering him in a protective one would ever be able to pierce their joint defence, one born from the bond of two brothers forged in battle._

With the pincers deflected by the protective bubble, the orange silhouette of a long lost friend pushing the dark creature back, Link immediately set to work. A quick leap had him on the beast back, the Deathstalker left batting wildly upon its back in an attempt to strike the Hylian. It was only when the stinger came down to hit him when Link finally put his plan into action. A hair's breadth away from him, the stinger struck down, but it was too late – with expert skill, he grabbed hold of the tail began hacking away at the flesh. An unearthly scream escaped the Deathstalker as he did so, but in seemingly no time at all, he had hacked completely through the tail, the stinger falling with a heavy thump to the side as he released his grip. Now free to move its tail, the Deathstalker shoved Link off its back, the knight rolling to a standing position as one dark dressed fighter rushed to his side.

"We're planning on running, come on!" Blake urged, but his hand upon her shoulder had the black girl pausing for a moment. All he needed was to finish off the Deathstalker and then they could go. "Are you kidding? We can't handle that thing, it's way too dangerous! The only reason why you didn't die was because of your semblance!"

That didn't matter at the moment though and Link didn't want to go into the discussion of semblances just yet. All he needed was a single distraction and then he would be able to finish it off. Surely having one less obstacle to deal with would make the whole thing easier?

"That's true but… urgh, fine, I'll distract it." the black-haired girl finally agreed after a moment's deliberation, probably because the two had to roll away from each other to prevent themselves from getting cut in half. She was like a shadow as she moved, only appearing before the scorpion-like Grimm to take a couple of slashes across it, absolutely untouchable even if her strikes did little to hurt it. that didn't matter though, for Link hefted the stinger in his hands, a small bit of the tail still attached acting as the perfect grip.

A pull of the slide upon Gambol Shroud had the blade fall back, Blake leaping into the air to fire away at the creature. It most certainly wasn't going to be seeing much after quite a few bullets entered its eyes, wildly flailing about as it tried to strike things it couldn't see ducking, weaving and dashing between any strikes that even remotely came near him, Link cried as he swung forth the mace-like stinger, the edge jamming into its head as he leapt upward. Landing upon its back once more, the boy reached into his pouch, a nice little elixir sitting waiting as, without hesitation, the Hylian gulped it all down in one go.

His strength seemed to skyrocket in that one moment, a leap and a roar having Link pull the stinger-mace and thus the Deathstalker, slightly into the air, a flip having it slam down upside down onto the ground with a screech. Then, with all of his power, Link followed with a yell, the stinger coming out of the Deathstalker only to be reintroduced to its Jaw and whatever movements to beast gave stopped as the life left its body.

"That was amazing… you did most of that by yourself!" Blake gasped, watching the boy as he approached with the stinger in hand, somehow tucking it away behind him into a place the girl couldn't see. "You have to tell me how you did that… no, the others are fighting that Nevermore! We need to go now!"

* * *

Yang at that moment was more than excited, she was completely fired up! Unleashing all that Ember Celica had into the Nevermore's beak, she leapt from her precarious position to see her handiwork. Certainly, the beast was left disconcerted, but just before it could slam against the Cliffside, it managed to turn itself around, returning to the sky with a cry of anger.

"Well, guess that means you're still hungry for more!" Blake and Link both arrived to see the Nevermore circling above, the bridge between shattered leaving Ruby, Weiss and Yang completely separated from the others. Could they get the two of them other to the other side?

"Of course we can! We still have some bridge!" Nora was proud to announce, pushing them forward onto what little remained of the stone structure before she hopped before them, the hammer in her hand loading something rather suspicious before a cloud of pink filled their vision and they were flying sky high. Using an explosive to turn the bridge into a lever and shoot them forward, fun but definitely not going to be fun when it came to landing. Pulling out the paraglider at the last moment had the two floating down next to Weiss and Yang, ruby jumping down from her sniping position with a grin.

"You two are okay!" she yelled with joy, pumping her fist to the air. "Now we're still all alive!"

"We have a plan. We need to use your weapon's ribbon and we need to get that Nevermore grounded. "Weiss instructed, both Blake and Link giving a quick nod. If she was needed for Gambol Shroud's ribbon, then leave the Nevermore to Link, he had a plan that might just work. "If you think you can do it, go ahead. We've already softened it slightly. Let's move!"

Link rushed forward as the others moved back, ruby's bullets guiding the Nevermore as it tried to hit its new target. One thing Link had noticed was that parts of the collapsed bridge had been formed from metal and metal was wondrously conductive to electricity; being wet simply made the whole thing all the more dangerous. Quickly whipping out the Sheikah slate, a few quick presses had the runes upon it glowing red, a beam of weaving layers grabbing a hold of a particularly sharp piece as he rose it into the sky. Seeing the flying mass of metal, Ruby was quick to give a nod in his direction, leaping from her perch and flying towards him and thus bringing the giant bird hurtling in his direction. He needed Yang though as well, as soon as the red left the metal!

"Got it!" Yang called out, crouching down low as she aimed her gauntlets to the ground. The metal lost its red energy as it started to fall, partially piercing the Nevermore but not enough. A single burst, however, sent the blonde flying into the sky, eyes turning crimson as with a roar of pure rage, she hammered down upon the metal, each strike driving it deeper and deeper into the Nevermore's back. "Ha, you could say I _nailed_ it!"

She backflipped off the creature's back and it was already staggering, but there was one more trick that would put it just upon the brink. Link closed his eyes, pulling his sword to the side as he focused all his strength into the next attack.

_The Fury of the Gerudo was well known, but hers was legendary. The fact that none ever dared scorn her was reasonable when Link felt the pure electricity running through his veins, bringing up the hairs upon the back of his neck._

None of the others had been prepared for when the massive surge of lightning struck down, completely concentrated towards the metal stuck within the Nevermore. Its scream was piercing as the incredible number of amps flowed through its being, falling like fried chicken to the ground. His position was immediately replaced with that of Weiss, who quickly froze its feet to the ground, not that it would produce that much movement after such a devastating attack. The ribbon tied around two spires proved to be a perfect catapult, Ruby being pulled back upon as a shining glyph appeared behind her, Weiss aiming her shot.

"So, do you think you can make the shot?" Ruby asked, receiving a scoff from the heiress.

"Can I?"

"…Can yo-?"

"Of course I can!" and with a single thrust of Weiss' rapier, Ruby was sent hurtling forward, her scythe catching the beast's neck as several glyphs formed a path upon the rocky surface. Apparently, they were designed to serve as footholds for Ruby was easily able to scale the entire cliff, almost ready to completely behead the creature had it not been for one small detail. No matter how beat up it was, it was still perfectly capable of shooting its feathers. One such feather pierced into Ruby's side, her body not too damaged but still losing her footing as the girl fell from her position.

Link was quick to grab her, but now the Nevermore knew what it could do from it's now much higher perch. Several feathers shot down at incredible speeds towards the group, several bullets and bursts of dust shooting them down from the sky. They simply did not however have the speed needed to deal with the sheer number of feathers and the more that hit the ground, the less space they had to work with.

"We need another plan!" Yang called out as she landed alongside Link and Ruby, both Blake and Weiss following not too long after. "We've weakened it, but we need to find a way to commit the final blow!"

The sound of the Sheikah slate ticking drew all the attention towards it, Link bringing up the device to see its screen glowing green. The only time it did that was when he activated the amiibo rune though, why was it glowing now? Link was answered by the sudden activation of the portal above, not a chest falling from it or whatever random items it usually brought along. Much to the awe of the girls watching, instead came out an orb of pure energy the size of a football, several colours swirling together like flames upon the outside as two lines of pure black appeared along the edge. It floated down before Link, its energy palpable and almost instinctively, Link did something very odd.

He crushed it between his hands.

The same multi-coloured energy flooded through Link, the fire covering his body as normal eyes turned a supercharged yellow. The power he held was almost touchable, completely beyond anything he had ever felt before. This was magnificent, Link felt as if he could do anything!

He needed to use this power, now!

"What was that Link?" Ruby asked, but he couldn't answer something he didn't know himself. Pushing the girl back, he merely reassured them that he would be the one to end this, something that considering the incredible power quite literally rolling off him, they were willing to believe. They had to cover their faces as powerful winds whipped up around Link, the figure of an avian hybrid of light green energy flying around Link as he took to the sky with his paraglider.

As soon as he was at eye level, the Nevermore let out another shriek, fully aware of the one who had jammed a piece of metal into its back and electrocuted it. Priming itself, a torrent of feathers tried to bring Link down to the ground, but that didn't bother the Hylian in the slightest. As he let go of the paraglider, it was replaced with the Ancient bow, a creation far older than anyone could ever tell. An arrow found its way onto the string, an index finger pulling at the little ring upon the head to have it fold out and reveal the gleaming blue energy of an ancient arrow. It was no ordinary arrow, however, for whatever power that had been granted to Link now flooded into it, the Hylian releasing the arrow and beginning to fall just as the feathers entered the space he once occupied.

While Link fell to the ground, his arrow was soaring at supersonic speeds through the tiny gaps left by the enemy projectiles, barely larger than a normal arrow but far, far more deadly. Link turned back to the group with a triumphant grin as the power faded away from his body, eyes returning to normal as a giant explosion of blue energy completely eviscerated the Nevermore. At that moment, Ruby had that image utterly ingrained into her mind where she put her 'Huntsman idols'. The image of Link standing triumphantly, not even looking as his actions made a Nevermore into dust, that was a powerful one.

* * *

"Blake Belladonna, Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee and Yang Xiao-Long. The four of you retrieved the white knight pieces. From this day forward, you shall fight together as Team RWBY, led by… Ruby Rose." Ozpin declared as the gathered students all gave their applause, Ruby looking quite lost for a moment before she was glomped by an incredibly proud older sister. "Looks like things are shaping up to be an… interesting year."

It was quite similar to the knighting ceremony, in that each person was slowly brought forth after a speech to attain their title as a new knight under the royal command by the King. Every time, Link had been forced to stand beside the Princess, watching over the entire thing no matter how bored he or the Princess felt; it felt kind of strange to be put on the other side once more after who knows how many years?

"Now, I'm sure many of you have realised that there is another standing here. He did not collect any piece, nor did he find a partner out there." Ozpin remarked, his slight gesture bringing Link forward into the light. That was the cue for hundreds of whisper to suddenly start up, both surprising compliments and the expected more cruel words appearing from the students before a sharp glare from Goodwitch had them all silent. From this position, he could see Zelda standing towards the back, her eyebrows furrowed; she too must've heard some of the more derogatory comments. "Under normal circumstance, he should have no place upon this stage. However, the purpose he had entering the forest was not to become a student. If you have seen his actions, then perhaps you could understand that."

"I will be blunt. There are times where change must happen. For me to be able to dedicate my time more efficiently, I shall be taking on Link as a temporary apprentice." Now that was an announcement from Goodwitch that wasn't expected, the students already beginning to chatter incredibly loud until a single glare had them all immediately quiet. "He has participated in this test purely to add extra credence to what is an… interesting past. His management of the Nevermore and Deathstalker alongside team RWBY, which I remind you have been around for an untold number of years, has shown that he is skilled in the field. When you next come to your combat studies, expect to see him there and be taught by him, even if it is under my supervision."

The applause was somewhat slow to come out, but the efforts of Ruby and Zelda eventually managed to spur the audience into action. From what Link was made aware along with the princess, there had yet to be a Faunus that had taught in any sort of capacity at Beacon – his appearance, whether he was a Faunus or not, meant that he was making Beacon history and many of the students needed a moment to fully comprehend that. When they did, the vast majority of them began to clap louder, even if some tried to elicit some boos. Through it all, Link merely stood proud, just as he had been taught to do. If he wanted this to work, then he needed to make the proper impressions.

"You should have heard some of the utterly ridiculous things they were saying about you." Zelda pouted as he approached from the back of the stage. The princess had a pout upon her face as she spoke, a particularly strong glare (though upon the princess, it lost a fair bit of power because of the aforementioned pout) being sent to one of the teams that had just recently been accepted. "They had the audacity to call you an animal unworthy of teaching, a stray that they happened to adopt! If I had any authority in this world, then they would be punished for their words!"

But that was exactly what they were, just words. Unless they acted upon their idiocy, then there was little they could do right now. Besides, he would soon be in a position to show them the error of their thoughts personally. Now that brought a smile to Zelda's face; never had he imagined that the princess would be such a vindictive person.

"I-I am _not_ vindictive! I just wish for people not to judge you when they don't know you properly." The princess answered, her slight embarrassment giving way to the smallest tone of sadness. "I made that mistake once and now I cannot forgive myself for how I behaved towards you. I will not let that sort of mistreatment happen here."

And he would never let that happen either. Now, it was time for them to move away – the students were breaking away and he was starting to feel the looks they were sending in their direction.

"Of course. I've managed to properly acquaint myself with the staff and after they've learnt the true circumstances behind our arrival here, albeit a bit edited, they were more than happy to lend their efforts towards trying to develop a way to return to our kingdom." Zelda remarked, only just capturing the slip at the end of her sentence before reducing into a blubbering blushing mess. "I-I mean my Kingdom! Well, you also live in it, so it would be your kingdom as well yes? I most certainly meant it in that way, yes, of course, Link stop laughing at me!"

It was this sight that met Team RWBY, Ruby rushing over as fast as she could, which considering her skills ended up being rather dramatic. There was barely more than a cloud of rose petals before she was in their faces, shock mixing into excitement.

"You never told us you were being tested to become a teacher!" the dark-haired girl exclaimed, grabbing hold of Link's hand in absolute amazement as her eyes became little more than stars. All of a sudden, however, she released her grip, recoiling as if she had touched fire itself. "Wait, that means you probably can't be as friendly with us now, can you? You have all sorts of official work to do and stuff…"

But until he started to do that, he was just a normal person, just like the rest of them. After all, they didn't officially become students until tomorrow when they started their lessons. Besides, nothing was stopping him from being friends with them so long as he didn't show favouritism.

"True enough." Weiss agreed, looking over Link with what was clearly a judgemental gaze, a look that brought a slight shiver to Link's spine. He usually managed to avoid getting so deeply analysed, feeling more like he was being faced with a Guardian's glare choosing whether to target him. "Still, even if you are going to be an… apprentice teacher, I expect you to stand up to the expectations provided by the other members. You may be above our level, but you still need to prove yourself in a classroom."

"Link has taught people to fight before, and he has spent a large amount of his life training to fight something even greater than you can imagine. I can assure you that he'll prove himself capable." Zelda reassured, though from Weiss' look turning onto her, the heiress wasn't too certain of the words of someone she had yet to be introduced to. "Ah, my apologies, I only know Ruby and Yang. My name is Zelda, a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"Weiss Schnee."

"And I'm Blake. It's nice to meet you." There was a certain excitement to Blake's tone, one that was almost evident in her actions if she wasn't so good at restraining them. His look must've been for slightly too long, for Blake continued, "I'm sorry, I'm a little jittery, aren't I? It's just so strange and exciting, I'm witnessing a part of history in the making! One of the first Faunus to earn a teaching position at Beacon… And you were able to do so many strange things out in the forest, as soon as the recordings come out, you'll be an idol for a ton of Faunus."

Wait, there were recordings? As in, there were moving images detailing what he had done? And it was being sent out into the school? Great, there goes keeping his abilities secret. Well, at least they were still contained to school archives.

"You do realise that people are probably going to have those videos all over the Four Kingdoms?" Weiss stated with a sigh, Link having to blink twice before he turned to the princess, who was just as dumbfounded as he was. "For goodness sake, you're going to be teaching us and you don't know about video sharing?"

"My apologies, but we're not the most technologically well versed," Zelda answered for Link, who was still admittedly trying to deal with the idea that his abilities were going to be broadcast to essentially, the whole world. Sure, Hyrule knew the legends of the hero who would seal away the darkness alongside the champions, but even then, his true capabilities were only known on a smaller scale in modern Hyrule. Now, he would have a large number of people knowing about it…

But he didn't need to prevent the Yiga clan from preparing to battle him in this world, so that was okay, right? It would give a boost to his reputation as well, maybe not as much as the other teachers at Beacon had, but it was a starting point. Hopefully, after a few lessons, word of mouth would work on the rest.

"Well, you can count on us to help you out!" Ruby promised, the girl giving a giant thumbs up with a giggle. "Whether it's hunting Grimm or trying to learn how to use a scroll, we're the team to depend on, right guys?"

"Sure thing. I'm not going to stop my sister if she's developing her social _links_!" Yang declared, her bright smile and raised eyebrow met by utter silence that earnt an eye roll. "Come on guys, you know that was a good one!"

"Still, we need to make sure we get to our room and prepare it." Blake reminded, looking to the sky for a brief moment. "Do you have rooms here or with the staff?"

"Oh yes, our room is with the other students!" Zelda exuberantly replied, all of team RWBY nodding serenely at the statement as Link let out a sigh. He could already see what was going to come next and with a countdown from three, two, one…

"Wait, you have a shared room!?"

* * *

Ozpin sat at his desk silently, his cup untouched as Goodwitch walked in with the ever-present frown upon her face. He had his expectations of the boy named Link, expectations that had only been proven beyond a doubt by the various powers shown during the initiation and he wasn't too sure how to feel about that."

"Link has been informed of my expectations of him come tomorrow. The way that he handled the Deathstalker, an incredibly old Grimm… I suppose he does show the promise you told me about. From what I'm aware of, he's somehow managed to preserve the tail stinger for use as a makeshift weapon, a rather strange choice but none the less effective." Goodwitch remarked, her neutral tone about the best they were going to get towards praise. With a silent cheer, the man took a long draw from his cup mulling over his words in a manner that Goodwitch honestly wasn't used to.

"Those figures that were born from his semblance, or whatever the equivalent from his world is… I don't think they were simple constructs." The white-haired headmaster commented, Goodwitch's eyebrow rising. "While they held no physical form and disappeared soon after the effects of Link's actions were gone, there was something different, human about them. What do you think that means?"

"You can't be saying what I think you're saying," Goodwitch replied after a brief moment's thought. "What you're implying is on the lines of magic, not a semblance! That can't be possible!"

"You forget Glynda that the person we're talking about is not from this world." Ozpin gently reprimanded, the purple dressed teacher backing down slightly with a slight huff. She would never get used to the idea that there was the ability to travel between different worlds, even if it is inadvertently. "Both he and Zelda had been holding back on what they had entirely been capable of ever since their arrival and as soon as one shows their hand, he does things that should not be possible with a single semblance. There's no doubt in our mind that Zelda too holds a special power; whether it's on the same level or even greater than what link has shown is the question."

She was no idiot. When Goodwitch heard what Ozpin had initially hinted at with their auras, she had expected it to be simple control of the elements, a reasonable semblance no matter how Ozpin put his words. But then when Link entered the initiation, all of her expectations of the boy had been blown – sure, he used his sword as she had expected, and then he managed to summon a burning shield around him, conjure magnificent winds, bring forth lightning: that seemed relatively reasonable if it weren't for the figures that had been called forth along with those abilities.

And then he managed to freeze a person's momentum completely, call upon the power of magnetism, summon some strange sort of power-up from seemingly nowhere – all possible semblances on their own but together, made for an unbelievable combination. If Zelda too could call upon similarly strange powers, then there would be no way she could disagree.

"Do you have any idea what it could be? A possession of sorts?" Goodwitch suggested, only to be answered in the negative.

"If it was a possession, then Link would undoubtedly act different from his usual self, yet I could tell no differences in his mannerisms," Ozpin explained, looking out upon the school grounds from his window. "The same with possession of those spirits, if they were possessed then they would have at least some tell which would make it seem that way. They acted far too naturally for that to be the case. I think there's some sort of… symbiotic relationship happening. He's allowed to call upon their power for some unknown cost."

That sounded dangerous. If there were any repercussions for such a thing, then they would no doubt be far more severe than aura exhaustion. Goodwitch would have to keep an eye upon him during his time here, just in case things were to seem a little strange.

"Naturally, they have not told us if such a drawback to his abilities really does exist and while they are still looking for a way to return to the world they know, they will probably never tell us. I want you to keep an eye on him, Glynda." Ozpin instructed, not that she wasn't going to do so of her own volition anyway after being told something like that. "We need to learn more about their abilities, what they're fully capable of and what their weaknesses are without compromising their trust in us."

"Watching over a person I'm going to be working with is one thing Ozpin. Trying to determine their weaknesses and full abilities, as well as that of their partners when they're not students, is another thing entirely." Goodwitch pointed out.

"True, but it is crucial. In a day and age where we could use all of the help we can get, where we've come across a power that feels like it could truly change the course of the battles we have waged… surely some things have to be done. I won't say I like what I'm suggesting, but it can only help in the long run."

That was food for thought, Ozpin kept pushing this pair as incredibly important in the long term plan, something that Goodwitch had rarely if ever been made aware of before it was happening. Considering the image that they had made so far, maybe they really could make a difference; power like Link's would always be welcomed by the hunters of the world if it was aimed towards the Grimm. Just what did that man want to do with them? Not that she would actually get any answers without wasting hours and hours of energy.

"Now, I'm sure you have lessons to plan, especially considering how energetic our teams seem to be this year." Ozpin remarked. Goodwitch knew a dismissal when she heard one.


	5. Cooking up a treat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On food and fighting.

It was time. Link had already assessed the battlefield, a relatively flat plain where the only issues would be preventing any stray projectiles from hitting the outside observers, but his aim should prove true enough for such an issue to be neutralised. His tools were all prepped, the Master Sword tucked neatly away into his pouch; he was going up against students, experienced students, but students, meaning the power designed only to eliminate evil would be unnecessary for such a menial task. He didn't want to cause them undue harm after all.

Goodwitch's first class was with the second years, the students funnelling in with the chatter that was bound to arise after a summer apart. Friends spoke of their families, holidays and simple activities they had done together, but as soon as they caught a glimpse of their teacher and the apprentice under her, they quickly quietened down. Goodwitch really did command a rather frightful presence.

"Welcome back to Beacon, all of you. I trust that you have kept up your practice during the break?" Goodwitch began and almost immediately, Link could see a couple shrink back in embarrassment. That brought a quiet chuckle to the Hylian's lips. "Well then, it appears that maybe we'll need to start with some spars to see whether anyone has… deteriorated, during their time away. Plus, this will serve as an appropriate beginning for our new member to test your abilities. Anyone wish to begin?"

The knight wasn't surprised by the lack of takers for such a thing. No matter how friendly and defenceless he made himself appear, he was still a member of the Beacon staff; to challenge such a thing was to say that they thought they were stronger than the people teaching them and whatever news had escaped from the initiation was no doubt colouring that opinion even further. Eventually, however, a hand entered the air rather confidently, leading to a scowling girl who quickly changed into a far more sickly smile.

"I'll give it a go! I want to see if I'm rusty." She declared with far too much enthusiasm considering the dark look she had directed in the Hylian's direction, hopping down from the seating and rushing over to the locker rooms where their weapons and gear was stored as mumbles arose from the rest of the body. She did make one mistake though – she had underestimated the power of his hearing when she muttered her words, "Show the damn animal his place…"

"Well then, seeing as miss Ivy is rather enthusiastic to be our first, then I'll allow it." Goodwitch conceded, fingers dancing across the screen of her scroll as two images appeared upon the top of both combatants followed by two bars. "Now then, I hope I do not need to repeat these, but for the sake of our new member, we shall do it anyway. The battle shall be over when the aura level of a combatant drops into the red. All weapons are allowed, but please take into consideration your fellow students."

He had just the thing then. See, while it was incredibly difficult to comprehend how Sheikah technology worked, so much so that even to this very day the secrets of their construction were being dismissed as impossible to understand, it was far easier to weaken something than it was to completely replicate it from scratch and risk never being able to restore the original product. Zelda, through a little bit of trial and error, had managed to alter just a few of his weapons so that they could attain a more friendly form, their blades weaker than normal until he returned them to their original settings.

Just as the girl named Ivy returned, the blue-haired girl clad in delicate armour like a knight and wielding a blade that should've been far too big for her, Link held forth the hilt f his choice, a few questioning murmurs coming from the crowd. Their questions were soon answered as the blunt top half split in two, opening up to form a short sword as blue energy filled in the gap where an edge should have been. Its weight was familiar in his hands, the Hylian giving it a few practice spins in his hand as he waited for his opponent to reach the other side of the arena.

It didn't take much to understand her. Her mere stance and weapon choice already showed her to be ruthless brawler, just like the greatest of Goron warriors. It was whether she could handle the strength of such a thing while still retaining a Goron's incredible speed that would choose the fate of this battle, however, and from the looks of things, it wasn't looking too pretty to be her at the moment. With a look to both fighters, silent and waiting, Goodwitch gave the beginning signal.

The fight had begun.

While there was a brief hesitation where the girl tried to understand Link's weapon, she nonetheless charged forward with a cry, swinging downward with the might of a Lynel in what was most likely going to be a crushing blow. Unfortunately for her, he had faced far faster swings; the Hylian was more than capable of spinning around the hit, thrusting out his foot to kick the girl in the helmet.

The great thing about kicking a helmet was that it forced the head to slam hard against the metal of the back and the brain most certainly didn't have a pleasant time either, leaving Ivy reeling backwards. He did little other than hop backwards, watching her movements, looking for just the precise angles…

Now she was cautious. After all, the blue-haired girl had shown that he wasn't going to fall for what was perhaps one of the most easily telegraphed attacks (which would seem rather obvious, but the actions of a few showed that there were cases where such clear attacks were still capable of fierce damage). This time without words, she shot forward, several swings coming far too fast for what a sword of that size should've been capable of. Still though, it was too slow, physics simply didn't allow it to reach a speed that link was unable to match and better.

Each move left her exposed as she tried to reposition herself and that meant the knight could truly act upon her defence's faults. Armour naturally had to have certain areas where metal couldn't be placed, purely to allow the wearer to properly move rather than be a statue; what it meant to Link was that if he could attack his strikes right between the small undefended areas...

The students watched stunned as the meter upon the screen was hammered down at an incredible level, the ancient short sword even in its weakened state being more than enough to take off huge slices with but a few strikes. It was as if the girl had no chance to fight back, already panting upon the ground in a few minutes. As she rose once more, rage in her eyes after another kick had sent her flying back, a held-out hand had Ivy give pause. She wasn't changing the way she attacked, she was merely trying the same strategy over and over again – rush him down with a few fast attacks and see if she could beat his speed. Clearly, that wasn't working, so why was she trying that multiple times?

"Wha- excuse me?" Ivy seemed almost surprised at the fact he was teaching, but wasn't that what he was here to do? Sure, he was the same age as them, so that didn't help the image, but he had taught men far older than him who could barely hold a sword at first; they had become members of the royal guard, the elite. She would be much better too if she worked on something over than trying to overwhelm – why not try baiting her opponent, making her seem slower than she was before striking forth at the last second, trick your opponent into complacency? "I… guess that could work. Yeah, I guess…"

"Well no matter what, Ivy Sernas is unable to continue due to depleted aura reserves. The winner is Link." Goodwitch announced, a surprising amount of applause coming up from the students. Perhaps this was a sign, a sign that he had been accepted by them as someone capable of teaching them; sure, Ivy wasn't exactly the strongest person he had come across, but he had managed to at least earn some respect for defeating her and maybe she would be less obvious about her distaste. Sure, having her change her mind completely would be the best solution, but it was a slow-going process. "Now then, who shall go next?"

* * *

Fight after fight came and went, the people no better, or better, or worse and yet the Hylian relentless went about his task, correcting stances and providing special strategies that would serve them perhaps just a little bit better against their foes. Many of them were eager to take in the new advice, Link's disposition making that statements feel more like a friend helping them spar more than a teacher's admonishments. There was something far more special than Goodwitch's cold corrections, the students were invited to debate his points and every so often, he might have made a few purposeful mistakes to see if they caught on and gave them the proper respect when they did. Eventually, Goodwitch didn't even bother to referee the matches after she saw how well Link handled it, instead referring to her scroll and going about whatever business she had.

One particularly interesting student that Link met was one rabbit Faunus, her ears drooping slightly as she approached him within the arena. Clad in brown and clutching some sort of box in her hands, she didn't seem as if she wanted to fight. Still, he would do what he had to do, bringing forth the altered ancient short sword and letting its blade open up to reveal the energy edge within. Her response was weak, her defence raised as she gripped the box's handle while somehow also holding the box in a manner that showed how reluctant she was to let the box get damaged. This simply wasn't going to work.

"A-Aren't we going to fight?" the girl questioned, what little confidence she had disappearing still at the thought that she was so weak her teacher didn't even see a need in fighting her. Of course they were going to fight, but he wanted to know why A: she was using a box to fight and B: why she looked so utterly terrified. Was she not a hunter just like the others? "That's… You see, I'm kind of different to everyone else…"

"Mr Link? I think I can explain it." the girl was fortunately saved by the call of her friend, one Coco Adel he had fought earlier walking down towards the arena to the sounds of other students returning to their conversations; if there wasn't going to be a fight to watch, they might as well amuse themselves with something other than just watching the new TA talk with someone. "You see, Velvet's weapon isn't a normal weapon. She has a camera that can copy weapons it takes photos of and uses her semblance to mimic the original user's movements. I think that makes her pretty cool, but others don't seem to agree. Add in the fact that they only last so long…"

Ah, so that was the issue. People didn't want her stealing their fighting style and weapons, meaning she wasn't able to take any photos and thus had a limited arsenal to fight with, making her nervous about using that restricted armoury. While said girl didn't exactly hide her emotions from her face, the way her ears nearly dropped entirely was more than enough to show how the Hylian had hit the nail on the head. Well, if it was pictures of weapons she wanted…

First was the Ancient Short sword, returned to its original state with a button press. Then came the Lynel bow, unfolded and ready to fire at a moment's notice. Following that, the demon carver; it had been ripped from the hands of one so deeply determined to avenge their master and the bloodthirsty feeling permeating the metal never seemed to fade. Eh, why not? Add in the meteor rod, its burning powers swirling with every movement.

Velvet watched with wide eyes and weapon after weapon was placed before her, far more than should've been humanely possible to carry. Even Coco, who was renowned for her ability to remain calm save for… certain fashion-related incidents, had to take off her sunglasses to see if what she was witnessing was actually happening. Eventually, a grand pile of stuff was put before the pair, Velvet only needing a nod and a gesture towards the pile before she was eagerly sifting through the weapons, snapping pictures as rapidly as she could.

"I was expecting you to let her save her stuff, not give her so many pictures of your own," Coco commented, the well-dressed leader, shaking her head with a chuckle. "You aren't like anyone else here, you know that?"

Oh, how he knew that. He couldn't be a good teacher if he didn't help out a student in need, right? If that meant letting someone take pictures of his weapons, then he was more than happy to oblige. It was simply a shame that the time for them to leave for their lesson was next approaching, otherwise, he would've been more than happy to give Velvet an example of just what those weapons were capable of doing.

Needless to say, there were many a happy and excited face leaving that classroom, Goodwitch turning from the entrance to look over the blonde knight. She had not expected him to be taken so well, she had most certainly expected there to be a bit more complaint about the fact that they were being taught by someone their own age and yet, after a few initial worries, they chugged along smoothly.

"I'll say it, you did an adequate job." The woman praised, Link giving a small bow of appreciation. He was merely copying what he had been told through his teachers, it wasn't that much. "That may be, but it still proved to be as good as, if not… slightly better than my own approach."

Perhaps it wasn't the approach that was the problem. He had kept a happy smile upon his face with most of them, he stood on the opposite side and gave away every single weakness he had taken advantage of in their fights. People were more willing to listen to someone who they held respect for and the willingness to give up shows that would allow Link to beat them easily and still fighting against them was more than enough to at least earn some respect. The way that he handled Ivy had also admittedly earnt him a couple of stars as well.

"Miss Ivy Sernas, a rather vocal Faunus hater." Goodwitch sighed, the mere though ageing her in seconds. "No matter how much I dislike it, we simply cannot afford to let talent fighters go to waste, but it seems no matter how we try to deal with them, they never change their ways. If I had known all it would take to change Ivy's approach was being beaten and helped by a Faunus, then I would've done so ages ago, though she is brutal enough that there weren't many who wanted to go against her. Regardless, you should very well prepare yourself for the next lesson. I'm sure you wouldn't wish to leave your weapons simply sprawled out upon the ground."

Ah yes, that wouldn't be good. Still, he had enjoyed that lesson; if the rest of them managed to move along as smoothly as the first one did, then he wouldn't have anything to worry about while Zelda did her stuff.

* * *

He was moving autonomously at that point, testing every fighter the teacher sent in his direction and idly pointing out their weakness and how they could improve. Had Zelda managed to find anything out at this point? Her knowledge about how any of the technology surrounding would always be greater than his own, she had practically dedicated all of her free time to the pursuit of that research, those theories and guesses that might've propelled Hyrule into a new golden age. If the pieces of random metal and what have you in their room meant anything, then the princess had most certainly thrown herself into the chance eagerly, but whether it would actually come up with anything was another answer.

His thoughts managed to keep him occupied for what seemed to be the entire lesson, faces blurring into one another as he corrected stances, suggested a little change in movement here, a fake out there. While their styles were all wildly difficult and even if he couldn't remember names, he could very easily distinguish the students by their weapons and tactics, Link still found it a little awkward trying to keep track of so many people while his worries drifted through his mind. He would've copied how his captains had taught the younger knights, but their method mostly revolved around calling everyone 'rookie' and that just felt a little awkward no matter how true it was compared to his own skill.

Oh, It's Link!" the Hylian turned around at the energetic call, Ruby darting her way over to him while the rest of her team followed at a more casual pace. He had yet to see them in a lesson, mostly dealing with the older students during the earlier periods and from the excited murmurs of the first years, they were starting to get a bit antsy. "What are you doing waiting out here? Aren't you going to go to the cafeteria for lunch?"

Well, he was waiting for Zelda to meet up with him and he already managed to get all of the ingredients he needed from the cafeteria. In fact, he was already setting up his fireplace as soon as they all approached. Is statement was met with a slight bit of confusion from three of the four, Blake giving a gentle nod while Weiss gave a little huff.

"Ingredients? You mean you're going to cook for yourself?" the heiress remarked and Link let out a small chuckle. It wasn't too difficult and he preferred it much more rustic compared to the mass-produced food that filled the cafeteria. The way Weiss said that almost made it seem as if it was an unspeakable act. "Th-that's not what I meant! I'm just saying that if you're here, there's no reason not to use the cafeteria. They wouldn't serve the best huntsmen bad food."

"I wouldn't underestimate Link's skill with a simple pot." Ah, there Zelda was, he had been waiting for a while. "Sorry about that Link, but I managed to catch one of the Professors, Oobleck, and we had this wonderful discussion that made me lose track of time. Such an amazing history, even if it is rife with violence and hatred at times. Hello everyone. Are you coming to join us for our meal too?"

"Okay then, a boy who can fight and cook; mama's starting to like," Yang commented with a little growl, Ruby burying her face in her hands while Blake merely rolled her eyes. "What? It's not like I'm flirting with someone like Port, he's our age and _very_ good looking! If you have the stuff, then I guess we've got nothing to lose"

"Wasn't this going to be just the two of you? _Alone_?" Blake questioned, Link shrugging. Well, they had originally planned for that, but he always asked for a little more than he needed whenever he started cooking and what he classed as a little more probably could feed all four of them. Zelda was silent beside him, turning her head away at something while Blake merely blinked, a small smile appearing on her face as she shook her head. "Well, I'm up for it."

"It's decided then, we're gonna have a team picnic!" Ruby declared, thrusting her fist up to the sky at the same time as Blake and Yang. "Well, a team picnic with Zelda and Link!" Oh, wait, did that mean they had to join in with their little posing? Oh, Zelda already was. Okay then.

"Don't I get a choice in all of this?" Weiss began, but considering how her teammates were already sitting down and chatting away, there was simply no other option lest she wanted to be seen eating alone. Now that would be a blow to her reputation for sure.

"Majority decision Weiss, plus as team leader, I declare this an official order: come eat with us!" Ruby cried, pointing directly at the heiress with a firm determination that faded into a giggling smirk.

"Fine, but the food better be up to standard." Up to standard? Link could probably whip up something that would suit her just fine. Now, what to do? For Weiss, something delicate, refined and perhaps a bit frosty. Yang, something fiery and hearty, to get her ready to take on any challenges that would be put in front of her. Blake, most definitely fish of some sort, and something to help her become as stealthy as possible. Finally, Ruby: something quick, something that gets the energy pumping!

The girls simply watched him in action, several bowls tossed by his side ready to catch whatever strange meal jumped out of his pot next as a cheery whistle filled the air. In went fish, wheat, a bit of butter and salt and a nice little blue nightshade (thank goodness he didn't lose his pouch when he came to this world), the petals being a most wondrous sweetness with a slightly bitter tang alongside the saltiness of the other ingredients. One sneaky fish pie, sorted.

Next, a prime cut of meat ready to sear of entered the pan, Blake looking to her dish with a hunger that almost transcended words, but the dark warrior at least had the decency to wait for the others to get their food. Once the meat began to cook off, in went in some rice and spice, juices making a most wondrous scent in the air as a little extra pepper and truffle gave an extra kick to the whole thing. Put rice in the bowl, toss the meat in sauce and finish: A nice hearty and spicy meat curry, sorted.

"Nice!" Yang called out as she grabbed the plate, cracking her neck with a grin while Link prepared the next food item. If Link ground up some cool safflina, then he could mix it up with the spices used before and add a new flavour to it, one that lent itself quite nicely to a nice mix of mushrooms. The great thing about fresh mushrooms, of course, was that they needed little done to them to bring out their proper flavour. Tossing them back and forth just to heat them through, that was chilled sautéed mushrooms, sorted.

"Ooh, ooh, make me something sweet!" Ruby was quick to order as he passed over the mushrooms to Weiss, who was already looking over them with a critical eye. Well, who was he to say no? Butter, sugar and wheat came together to form the basis of a cake, but it was what came next that had Ruby looking on in slight disgust – grating in a swift carrot made it nice and moist as well as adding a great flavour. Being one of the more simple recipes to prepare, all he had to do was let it bake. A swift carrot cake, sorted. "Carrots? Urgh, they're horrible!"

Link was looking forward to the reaction of the little leader eating it.

Well, that left him and Zelda. For him, it was simple enough, just fry up some meat and put it over a rice bowl – job's a good one with some salt to taste, but he would never go so simple for the princess; he was having to compete against some of Hyrule's greatest chefs when he fed her. That didn't mean he could cheat, however – that was the great thing about knowing Zelda's favourite foods. Combining the butter and the flour made for a basic roux, gently adding in the milk to form a sauce for the remaining salmon for a beautiful salmon meuniere.

"You know me so well Link." Zelda praised as she took the plate, a little glint entering her eyes no matter how much she tried to hide it. "Does that mean-?"

Yes, yes it did. But fruitcake comes later, someone of her level should at least be able to eat their meal first before dessert.

"These are… surprisingly good." Weiss remarked as she ate, delicately taking a mushroom and placing it into her mouth, savouring each flavour as it came. "The mushrooms are well done, they hold a hint of spice to them and yet there is still the slightest feeling of ice to them, as if they're cooling me down. Well done."

"Woah, Weiss is complimenting someone." Ruby gasped, or at least she attempted to. The fact that after a single bite, she was now shoving as much of the cake as possible with each forkful at a time into her mouth messing with quite a few of the words she wanted to say. The only answer the Schnee gave was a roll of the eyes, physically reaching over to her partner to shove her mouth closed with a single hand.

"Woah!" Yang apparently was still trying to get used to the heat of his curry; had Link made it a bit too spicy? He only used the amount he normally would put in. there were those times where he did literally eat just a pile of the peppers sautéed and even then they hadn't been too spicy to him… then again, he also had managed to eat a rock steak – what hadn't he tried at this point? "Don't worry about it, I can handle a bit of heat! Woo, this is the good stuff, the stuff that hits you with a _Yang!_ "

Blake simply wasn't speaking, every part of her intent on devouring that fish pie as well as she could. Link always wondered how the stealth increasing dishes he had learnt over his journey worked. After all, heating yourself and cooling yourself down was simple enough and things such as hasty simply increased your adrenaline (something that Ruby should be feeling pretty soon, if she wasn't already). Sneaky was an entirely different kind of dish (pun totally not intended, no comments Yang, stop smiling like that) though and perhaps he may never understand without taking some sort of biology course. All in all, he liked to think he did a good job.

"Ah, that was great!" Ruby sighed as she fell back onto the grass, hands behind her head as she gazed up onto the sky. "I guess that means we get to ask what it was like teaching now, huh? Did you fight a hundred people?"

Well, it certainly felt like it, and he had only gotten through half the day. Fortunately, once the initial testing period was done, they would all move onto sparring with one another to give him a rest and he would be left marking out where improvements could be made. It was less intensive, but he couldn't spend every waking hour fighting.

"It does feel strange to know that our next lesson will be fighting you. I hope you're ready for us." Blake finally spoke as she dropped down a nearly completely clean bowl, a gentle hand brushing away whatever crumbs remained upon her lips. "The fact that you know us isn't going to help you when you fight us."

"I would advise that you don't underestimate our might. After all, when you lose to Link, you have to remember that he gave you the advantage to work with." Zelda reminded with a small giggle, one that had Weiss raising an eyebrow.

"Wait, what do you mean by an advantage? And you actually fight? I haven't seen you with any of the other students and you look to be the same age as us as well." The white-haired girl pointed out, Zelda merely giving a knowing look. He was proud of that look, it was one he had quite the hand in forging after many an (admittedly, quite pushy) request for the Princess to defend herself.

"As for the advantage part? Well, I'll let you learn that when you get to fight. As to my own skill, well, I've become quite used in a couple of weapons, though not to the extent of Link." The princess explained, leaning back against her hands. "You see, while we don't have the impressive shifting weapons where we come from. Instead, there are a select few who choose to pursue multiple weapons and the rest aim to become masters of a single style. While close quarters arms never really worked for me save for the rapier, I've become rather fond of ranged equipment. Link, would you please?"

Naturally. He had no reason to hide what he could do at this point, so a single thrust of the Sheikah slate towards the water had a giant block of ice rise from the bottom, standing tall, proud and stronger than any other piece of ice save for a glacier. That, of course, meant it would be no match for the ancient crossbow Zelda pulled out, a giant explosion shattering it into tiny shards, some becoming barely more than snow before them. Ruby was the one who was able to so accurately sum up the instantaneous action.

"That… was so _cool!_ "

"Hey, I get to do the puns!"

"Shut up Yang."

* * *

This was perfect. He had never felt such concentrated malice in any of his incarnation, this was _beautiful!_ Sure, there were those pitiful twilit people who claimed themselves to be of the darkness, but they were little more than insects crawling through the darkness. This was true evil, but it wasn't complete, not just yet.

He had learnt from his mistake. No matter how many times he brought himself back into the world, whether he had taken on Gerudo or monstrous form, the accursed princess and hero always returned as well, following his every movement like whimpering puppies. Every plan, ruined, every empire, knocked to the ground. He had been so close in that final battle, he had almost wiped out Hyrule for good and it was but a measly shrine that prevented him from bringing the end of Hyrule completely.

This time, he would fight them differently. He had come close with the blights, they had done their job wonderfully, every champion slaughtered in what was meant to be Hyrule's greatest salvation and it was only the hero himself that managed to bring them to their knees with plenty of struggle. If he could perfect that, then he would be unstoppable and he practically had an army to work off.

Several of the creatures had proven to be unreceptive to his power, becoming little more than mist the moment he added more than a slight touch of his strength into them and the older they became, the more intelligence they held, which made gathering much more difficult. That wasn't to say they were a challenge, but it was far more annoying to collect them than it was a normal creature.

However, he had eventually managed to do it, his new collection struggling fruitlessly against their bonds. They took on several forms, different beasts having mutated into these beautiful, if woefully idiotic,c reatures; soon, they would become far better than their current forms.

They had underestimated them when the Hyrulians resorted to technology; he was no idiot and it didn't take much to understand whatever pile of gears and metal they shoved in his way. With barely a thought, the ancient material used to form those machines began to spread like water upon a surface across the various creatures, their screams wonderful to hear as they evolved. Malice mixed into their new armour and their very being, black becoming a far more vicious pulsating dark purple.

Their primitive weapons would prove useless against the hero's might, the technology he had witnessed in this world merely serving to push that point even further. By replicating the metallic malice, he could improve upon their power and take them to levels unheard of and it was a simple fact of life – nothing could be more dangerous than an unknown and unexpected enemy.

But they alone would only be a part of his new army; they needed a general to lead them. That was what the remaining wolf-like creature on its knees before him would serve as, but not in its current form. Malice swallowed it whole, any noises of terror, fear or pain it might've had being drowned out in its metamorphosis, swallowed by a cocoon of darkness and evil.

What left that cocoon was a man, though one unlike any seen before. Well, perhaps that was a lie, but save from its likeness, it was nothing this world or any other had ever seen. Malice formed its body, what copies of Sheikah technology he could recall forming armour upon him, though not enough to hide the oh so famous clothes that had been revered through legends. One eye remained hidden by a bone-white mask detailed with red, but the other sat behind a mask of metal, malice reaching over to almost fuse it into the creature's skin.

It held no emotion upon its face, but it did not need such a thing. It knew its target, everything he knew about them after all of his espionage from the shadows. The thought horrified him, a great powerful being like himself, resorting to simple spying like some desert bandit! It was worth it however, for the being before him would finally be the one to weaken the princess and the champion.

It was no dumb luck that had brought them to this world. The darkness was simply calling to him and he took advantage of that, ripping them away from their precious safety of Hyrule, where they thought he was defeated. Never! They would be crushed beneath his boot, never to see the light again along with the rest of the world!

His creation finally looked as if it gained consciousness, terrifying eyes of yellow looking around before they concentrated upon his form. A moment was spent trying to understand its new form, for even if it had no conscious memories of its previous life, it still knew it was not what it once was. If it could feel any fear, it didn't show it upon its face; that was good, that meant he was operating at maximum efficiency. It didn't need to be told of its mission, pulling its tunic back into place, ensuring the hat upon its head was properly position and pulling the malice infected ancient sword from upon its back. good, it was all functioning properly.

It held the same form as his worst enemy, but his improvements would mean they would never stand a chance against it. His creation knew each of their skills, all of their fighting styles and more thanks to the people he had seen in this world. No matter what the hero pulls, there would be no way they would survive the wrath of him and his army. Even the thought of that cursed Hylian and his princes caused him to release a yell to the air, all animals nearby fleeing from the horrific aura that plagued the land nearby to them.

" _ **HeRo Of HyRuLe! YoU wIlL dIe!"**_


	6. Sap the forest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On draining trees and dark threats.

Zelda was impressed. Now that she had a chance outside of her research to relax, she decided that her first order of business would be visiting her long-time friend just as he finished his work, work that she had admittedly almost forced him into. So far, he had only received glowing responses from his work, one particular scythe-wielding girl never wanting to stop when the subject came up.

'He was so cool! He was like blam! And then pow! And Zoom!' Zelda believed she said. While it wasn't the exact wording of the hyperactive girl's ramblings, they certainly were close enough. As soon as it seemed as if the last student had left the classroom, the princess slipped into the room, to be met by the sound of explosions, sparks and grunts of exhaustion. But the people had left, surely they wouldn't continue holding a fight even now, would they?

The moment the princess looked to the arena, she was treated to the sight of Link flipping backwards, his short sword rushing past the tip of a translucent blue mirage of what appeared to be an ancient spear, pushing forward only to meet air as Velvet Scarlatina rushed forward in a mad flurry of strikes. It was nowhere near the speed the Hylian was capable of reaching, yet the sheer fact that the bunny Faunus was even capable of achieving something remotely similar was a feat worthy of praise. Out of nowhere, however, the ancient spear copy disappeared, beams of light appearing from the girl's strange box to form a mirror image of the ancient short sword to match that held in the Hylian's hand.

The two collided furiously, a shield held up to block any shots that managed to slip by his sword's parries. No matter if the rabbit held his weapons against him, he was fully aware of their weaknesses at this point and that meant it was only so long before victory was his. The only issue was, so did Velvet; she had been raised to use the skills and tools she held, meaning she had more than enough tools to counter the knight.

Arrows were traded at incredible speeds, both Lynel bow and its copy sending forth hundreds of shots with the finesse of their wielders. If it weren't for the fact that they were aware of their limitations, Zelda might've feared getting struck. The sheer majesty of what she was witnessing however made her believe, she simply knew that no harm was going to befall her even when what felt like seventy arrows filled the air.

One real arrow struck the girl's ear, a yelp escaping her as she stopped her volley, the weapon held in her hand melting away as if it was nothing more than air. As soon as he caught sight of that, the Hylian stopped, a breath of relief leaving his as he strolled over to the girl. She had spent far too much aura, to such an extent that it had pierced slightly into her flesh, just enough to not fall out until Link gave it a firm tug.

Velvet had no idea how to describe the utter pain that plagued her ears at the moment, it was utterly horrific. Her ears were very sensitive and when she knew she didn't have enough aura to prevent herself from taking wounds, she was usually well enough to defend her more vulnerable appendages; the shock of having an arrow cut through the flesh and then have it pulled out had the girl let out a small scream, hands flying to cover the wound with tears in her eyes. Link was quick to respond with a strange liquid, the Hylian easing the girl enough to get her to partake before without any hesitation, the wound sealed itself up, no sign of even a scar beginning to form.

"That was incredible. I've only seen great warriors wield weapons to the same skill as Link, I had never expected to see such promise within a training school!" Zelda praised, Velvet turning away as the blue-clad blonde clapped. "What were those strange weapons though? They appeared to be transparent versions of Link's tools, yes?"

Well, Velvet couldn't exactly spar when she didn't have access to weapons and the only way she could get them was to take pictures. If they did it this way, then she would simply be able to restock after each spar, it just had to be towards the end of his lessons considering the amount of time it took to retake each weapon's picture. He had just taught the first years, who should've been going to lunch at the moment.

"Yes, Mr Link was kind enough to let me use his weapons!" Velvet excitedly said, not a single trace of her prior pain visible upon her visage. "It kind of came as a surprise though. I've never met a huntsman that wasn't so possessive of their weapon. Usually, once people understand how my semblance and weapon work, they try and hide their weapons as fast as they can."

He simply didn't hold that sort of connection with his tools for they were simply that – tools. If Ruby heard his words, no doubt she would be horrified, but the knight had been through several hundred weapons through his adventure; if he was that possessive over each one, then he would've been devastated by the time he made it beyond the Great Plateau.

"It's true. Beyond certain exceptions, our weapons never seem to hold the same durability that your creations do. To be frank, I'm a little jealous." Zelda remarked, pouting and turning away but the way that her frown melted into a smile was good enough to get rid of any malice behind her words. They were good enough to make a giggle escape Velvet, the girl giving a small bow before she rushed off and returned to her more casual clothes.

"She's certainly a skilled fighter. I would be proud to have a girl like her in the Hyrulean army." Zelda commented with a small chuckle, pulling out a scroll that they had been so graciously gifted. "I've managed to learn a little bit about the legends of this place. They truly are remarkable tales."

Wait, she was looking at the legends? Link had been certain that Zelda said he was going to do more research about how the various machines of Remnant functioned, how had she gotten into the legends? At Link's question, a bright blush appeared upon the princess' face, a weak chuckle escaping her.

"I was sort of, kind of walking around the library and my eye simply fell upon the book and… don't give me that look, it seemed so interesting!" Zelda tried to explain, a huff coming from the female blonde as Link laughed far louder. "Well, as I was saying before I was so rudely disrupted, the legends here are quite interesting. Four maidens represent each of the seasons and they hold a power similar to our magic. Do you know what that means?"

Considering their aims, it was simple. If they held powers similar to their own magic in a completely different world, then maybe they would prove to be a link between worlds. They might know of the world their powers originated from and potentially could help them devise a plan to return.

It was risky, however. Even though many legends of Hyrule were built upon truth, that wasn't to say that all of them were and who knows which ones of Remnant could hold true? If Zelda was going to pursue these stories, then she would have to do quite a lot of checking over. After all, where were these maidens even meant to be?

"It's going to be difficult to find them if they do exist. You see, their powers are reincarnated like the legendary hero, so who knows what kind of body they inhabit at the moment?" came the answer, Zelda's mood taking a turn for the worst at the admittance. "I haven't read too deeply upon it, but there aren't any apparent traits or characteristics to look for."

Well, it was something to work off at least. Still, he was ready; they might as well go over to the cafeteria and get some ingredients if they were going to talk. The princess was quick to agree, part of her still hoping for the small chance that he would prepare some of his delicious fruitcakes. He was pretty sure that he had made a mountain of them at this point.

"And as your princess, I declare you shall continue to do so until I am satisfied, is that clear?" Zelda pompously declared, hands falling to her hips as she puffed out her chest. A poke from Link in her belly, however, had the girl lose whatever pomp she had, laughter escaping from her. Their little act managed to draw the attention of the few remaining students late to lunch, a sight starting to become familiar enough that ere were those willing to ignore it rather than bring up the chatter about Link as they had so commonly done before.

Their humour only lasted until they reached the cafeteria however, a single sight being enough to spur Link into action with Zelda following close behind him. Velvet, still clutching her freshly bought lunch tray had found herself surrounded by armour-clad lads, one particular one pulling upon the very ear Link had injured before.

"Look, guys, they _are_ real!" Cardin Winchester, a brawler type who wanted to end battles in the first few seconds after Goodwitch said go. While he had the strength to achieve that and had even done so in the lesson they just had against one Jaune Arc of team JNPR, he was a loud and open bully and Faunus hater. Link had managed to delude himself into thinking a single beatdown would be enough to cow him; he had certainly looked terrified after the knight was done with him, but getting rid of the bad apples took some time. "Hey, what the hell do you think you're -!"

The iron grip upon Cardin's hand was far worse than what he had faced in a spar before this moment. Met with the face of his teacher, the mace wielder saw something beyond what he had expected; it was as if he was staring down a creature worse than a Beowolf, something even worse than a creature born of darkness itself. The predator's grip only seemed to tighten until it was enough to get Cardin to release the girl's ear, the animalistic glare never leaving him as Link sought to check the rabbit Faunus.

"Don't worry, it's alright…" Velvet sighed, tenderly rubbing her ear. "Being alone probably made me more of a target. When anyone else is around, they're too cowardly to do something like this."

But that doesn't mean that such actions could be tolerated. The group were still stood frozen there, Zelda's frosty glare proving more than enough to hold them still while Link had turned away. With both Hylians staring them down however, they were stumbling backwards with small stutters of fear. They would meet him in the arena after lessons for specific detention. Hopefully, they would bring all of their gear; they most definitely would need it.

Needless to say, they ran off immediately before their punishment could get any worse. They already knew how brutal Link could be if he didn't like someone (in the rare occasion that he actually disliked a person enough to give up on trying to get them to change with words) and if it became any worse, who knew what horrors the boy could inflict?

"Aw, we were too slow to look cool." A voice lamented, Link rolling his eyes as he looked to the pink dressed ginger approaching. Nora looked as if she wanted to have her hammer against the group of bullies, the rest of her team following after with a bit of exasperation in their eyes, clearest from Ren. Their team dynamic had been clear from the start – Pyrrha took the role of the seasoned veteran, Jaune was the plan maker, Ren was the voice of reason and Nora was just there to have a good time smashing stuff up; it made their teamwork all the better, even if it was a bit strange outside of that. "Hey Link, Zelda! Did you come for the pancakes too?"

Um, no. pancakes wouldn't exactly be remiss, but he was simply getting some ingredients so they could make their own food.

"By the way, where is Team RWBY? If I remember correctly, then they can usually be found alongside your team, yes?" Zelda inquired, glancing around the cafeteria. There was a great number of people casually chatting and with such an eclectic amount of colours, it was hard to make out some individuals unless they were particularly… distinct.

"We're all eating together, we'll take you to them," Jaune answered, the blonde knight looking far more exuberant than he had been when he had first arrived. His skills with the sword and shield were slowly beginning to improve, especially because the sword and shield was Link's speciality. While he wasn't one of the greatest in the classes, the boy showed a mind that had plenty of potential and though he may not be entirely prepared for the position of team leader, neither was Ruby and she was starting to shine through.

Ruby was the first to start waving them over when she caught sight of the group, the rest giving their own friendly welcomes. Before too long, a plate of doughnuts was being pushed before Link and Zelda, both Hylians looking to Blake in confusion as the girl let a smirk appear upon her lips.

"You usually eat outside after getting some ingredients, right?" she explained. "It's pretty close to the start of lunch, so you probably haven't had time to do that. If we don't give them to you, then it's most likely going to Ruby who eats them and she's had enough sugar."

"Hey, no fair! I fought for those fair and square!" the little reaper exclaimed, trying her best to look strong in the face of Blake. The image was slightly ruined however by the remaining traces of icing and sugar that decorated her face and some of the front of her clothes. "Wait, what!? Um, pretend you didn't see that!"

Sure, nothing happen-

_"Link? Link, can you hear my voice?"_

"Link, what's happened!?" Zelda asked as the knight suddenly lurched forward onto the table, grasping his head as his vision suddenly became incredibly blurry. He could barely make out Blake moving to his other side, Pyrrha rushing off to probably get a drink or something to help as the voice grew louder within his mind.

_"My sisters still slumber, yet I have awoken. Be careful, hero of the wild: the forces of evil are far stronger than what you have faced so far. The Calamity gathers an army beyond any you have seen before. I may not speak long, my power wanes!"_

But who was the voice? Why was it speaking to him now? The pain was unthinkable, as if the Master Sword was being plunged repeated straight through his skull.

_"When my power returns, we shall be able to speak more peacefully. I cannot speak any longer – beware the trials ahead, hero of the wild..."_

And with that, he was plunged into a peaceful slumber to the cries of everyone present.

* * *

After a few hours, when Link awoke, it was to be met with the face of Zelda watching over him in concern, palpable joy appearing within her as she saw his eyes open.

"Don't move Link, we don't know what happened with you yet!" the princess ordered as soon as she saw his muscles even slightly twitch to try and rise from the pillow. "It was so frightening to see you suddenly go through that pain and even worse, it came out of nowhere. Just what has happened to you?"

It was a mysterious voice, one he didn't recognise despite having spoken to an incredible amount of people in Hyrule and Remnant. They would've had to be powerful if they were able to speak directly into his mind, but there was mention of slumbering sisters and the darkness… the darkness was going to be worse than Calamity Ganon, if that was possible.

"A voice claiming that there's something worse than Calamity Ganon? I shudder to think of what that could mean." The princess eventually answered after a brief pause, rubbing her arm in concern. "In all of my research here, I've yet to come across something that would let someone do such a thing… perhaps a particularly powerful semblance… I would have to enquire more about that. The more important thing is the details the voice gave. So the speaker and their sisters had been slumbering and now they've awoken? Because of a power greater than the Calamity that ravaged my kingdom…"

Link could easily understand the silence that followed. The idea must've brought back the image of terrible ravage and ruin, hundreds slaughtered by beasts and machines alike until the kingdom was barely keeping itself together. After all, he had been there as well and despite his title, he had been able to do little to save both the people and his friends from being killed by the darkness.

He could feel them in his heart soothing his soul, just as they did every time the knight's memories returned to those horrible days. Even if they had fallen in battle, they were still right there beside Link, their powers now his own for him to carry until his final hours. He would never let them be forgotten.

"It's a pleasure to see you have recovered Link," Ozpin remarked as he strolled through the infirmary doors, the headmaster's face stoic as he approached. "I must say, I hadn't noticed anything wrong with you before; I must be failing somewhat in my duties of taking care of those who work with me."

He knew. He knew it wasn't something normal, Link could just immediately tell. It was clear to the white-haired man and he didn't try and hold up the façade any longer than he had to.

"Well then, seeing as we have the formalities out of the way, what actually happened?"

* * *

After Link had spoken of all he knew and received a perfect bill of health, the Hylians had been sent away by the headmaster with promises that he would look into the matter, as best as he could considering how much work he had to do in addition. The white-haired man had told him to relax, enjoy the field trip that was occurring soon with Professor Goodwitch, but it wasn't that simple.

They would be returning to the Forever Fall Forest, the place where both he and Zelda had first arrived into this world. It was relatively risk-free thanks to a recent excursion from a high year Grimm studies trip, meaning that there was little chance of them getting ambushed, but considering what the voice had stated, it did minimal to keep him calm.

"Yes students, the Forever Fall Forest is indeed a beautiful location. However, we are not here merely to sight-see. Professor Peach has tasked each of you with collecting samples of sap from each of the trees deep inside this forest." Goodwitch explained as they walked; whether she noticed how paranoid Link was or not, she didn't let it show. "Of course, it is my job to help make sure none of you dies while doing so."

Yes, Ozpin. This was great for helping him relax.

"Each of you is to gather one jar's worth of red sap. While the efforts of students ahead of you have meant some their numbers are reduced, do keep in mind that Grimm are still potentially in the area; be sure to stay by your teammates." The blonde professor warned, a stern look passing over each of the students before it lightened very slightly; it wasn't a well-hidden fact that this was pretty much a break for most of the students considering the timing of the trips.

"Jaune, would you like some help with those? They look dreadfully heavy." Zelda suggested, said boy huffing as he hefted several jars and for some reason, a rather strange looking container that any other group lacked. At first, Link was willing to believe that it was simply him carrying Team CRDL's items as well as his own team's, but considering the number of jars he was carrying on top, something didn't add up…

"Oh, don't worry about it! I and Jaune have this done, right?" Cardin smoothly answered before Jaune could ever hope to speak, taking just one of the jars off the stack and redirecting the blond while waving off the princess in a manner that would've, in Hyrule at least, seen him being reviled for daring to treat royalty in such a manner. They were nobody in this world though, Link had to remind himself. It was a thoughtless young boy acting like a thoughtless young boy.

Team JNPR hung back at the sight of their leader being pulled away by another team, but it was only Pyrrha who waited to see if he would change his mind. It made sense considering they were partners, but the slight scowl that appeared on the redheaded gladiator's face spoke volumes of their current relationship – things were definitely not as they seemed.

"Jaune has been interacting with Cardin far more than I would've expected." The princess remarked as she folded her arms, though began moving forward regardless. "For someone who prefers to taunt Jaune, he's acting as if they're the best of friends at the moment."

It did seem strange, but they knew what he would do to them if they stepped out of line. He may not be truly 'on duty', but he was still here – if they didn't complete their objective because they were messing with Jaune, then they would still have to answer to Link.

"Well I suppose that's true." Zelda sighed, lightly slapping her face. "We should catch up with the others then. Let us hope they have some integrity to their words."

With that sorted, the pair were quick to follow after the others and once they had affirmed that they wouldn't be moving too far from a nice little opening in the canopies, several trees ripe for draining of their nectar, Link was quick to begin resting against one particularly comfy tree trunk. If he wasn't needed and Zelda was happy to simply admire the scenery, then there was no reason that he couldn't surrounded by training warriors after all. With the sound of the wind, friendly chatter of Team RWBY trying their best to collect their sap and Zelda's light humming combining together into a peaceful melody of the wild, it wasn't long before a near-silent snore escaped Link, a sight that had Zelda smiling when she looked upon the knight's peaceful face.

He was in his perfect environment, simply in tune with nature as he let all of his worries flood by him. No matter what Link was doing, it seemed as if he never lost his paranoia, the slightest fear that something horrific would be waiting around the corner. It made sense when he was acting as the royal guard, for it was that suspicion and awareness that had allowed him to foil plenty an attack from nearby monsters or whatever members of the Yiga clan remained, but when he was simply living life… Zelda couldn't help herself from silently pitying the boy who was grown into such a role, even if she knew that the sentiment wouldn't be appreciated by the knight.

Pulling herself from her thoughts, the princess turned to where a tap remained wedged into the wood of one of the crimson leaved trees, its owner gone to chase after Nora who had been systematically consuming every drop of sap that they had managed to collect up until that point. Was it truly that delicious tasting? Well, they wouldn't be returning for a bit and it wasn't as if she was going to drain the whole tree dry…

A firm twist of the handle had a small sample of the red liquid leaking out onto a waiting Zelda's finger, he blonde observing the viscous liquid before tentatively placing her tongue to it. That second, her eyes lit up and before she knew it, she was letting a greater amount come out, happily drinking down the sugary substance as elegantly as one could when they were using their hands to drink the sap from a tree.

She never did manage to control herself around sweets.

Sitting back with a content grin upon her face, Zelda delicately wiped away what few traces remained before she could have her heinous crime discovered, taking the Sheikah slate as gently from Link's side as she could manage.

It still held so many secrets she simply couldn't understand the mechanics of. Whether it be freezing water into humongous blocks, allowing for control over metals, even generating portals that summoned goods of all sorts to their location, the Sheikah slate proved to do things beyond mortal comprehension. At least the information she had gathered from Ozpin and Dr Oobleck was helping her understand how the scrolls of remnant worked; if she combined that knowledge with what she could recall of her magic training, then she was bound to make a breakthrough!

Her new position, however, allowed her a perfect sight of the small cliff that watched over the group's location, meaning Zelda could notice the six heads that popped up from behind its protection.

"What are they doing?" Zelda muttered to herself as the princess moved forward ever so slightly, a better view of the surrounding area while still keeping her hidden by the trees. From the looks of things, they had yet to notice her or Link's presence, meaning she was in a perfect position in case they tried to do anything too unsavoury. Her advanced hearing compared to the others meant she was able to catch the conversation that Cardin and Jaune had, the boy's position becoming far worse than it had first seemed.

"Cardin, what's going on?" Jaune questioned, the boy's blue eyes darting between both the jar held casually in Cardin's hand and the completely unaware group below. The brunette's answer was perfectly simple:

"Payback." Following his line of sight had Zelda give a small gasp – it all came together now. Pyrrha proved to be exceptional in her schoolwork, whether it be in combat class or their more academic studies. Thanks to the rather lax atmosphere of the trip however, it meant her guard was relaxed and it didn't require a genius to understand that Cardin was willing to seize the moment. "That's the girl. Redheaded know it all thinks she's so smart and all that. Luckily, li' Jauney boy over here managed to collect up an entire box of rapier wasps last night and we're going to put them to work. No Goodwitch, no Link, no issues!"

Thanks to the small snippets of Grimm studies she had managed to catch from the students' conversations, she was aware of how dangerous, potentially deadly the little creatures could be when aggravated and being put in a box like that was more than appropriate aggravation. Adding in how the sap was a sugary substance and a natural Link between insects and sweet food sources, it was clear that Team CRDL planned to use the sap to entice the wasps to attack whatever source it could and with a jar, they could choose anyone – like Pyrrha.

"No." Zelda returned her attention to the small cliff, the spare jar held in Jaune's hand frozen in throwing position. Thank the goddesses, if he had done that then he would've been in immense trouble. Cardin let a frown appear on his face as he cracked his knuckles, approaching the hoodie-wearing knight slowly.

"What did you say? You know that if you don't do this, we're taking a trip to Goodwitch and you're out of here?"

"Still, I said… no!"

Jaune tried to throw the jar, but Cardin caught his wrist just before he could do it, a powerful grip causing the blond boy to let go with a yelp.

"Oh, you've done it now." The boy growled, kicking Jaune away as he spun his arm. "Sometimes, you have to do things yourself!"

"Pyrrha, look out!"

But there was no need. As the gladiator whirled around, weapons starting to unfold upon her arms ready for battle, she would be met by a golden glowing jar of sap, frozen in mid-air. Striding out with furrowed brows, the full disappointment of Princess Zelda of Hyrule was on clear display as she turned to the overhang, Team CRDL looking between her and the frozen jar of sap in sheer surprise.

"Your plan does sit on sound logic and if it hadn't have been for my interference, perhaps there was a chance of it going off successfully – a minuscule chance, but a chance none the less." The Princess scolded, fire in her words that burnt team CRDL not just for the failure of their plan, but what it suggested. Picking up a stone, Zelda gently chucked it upward, the gentle collision with the bottom of the jar meaning that when the stasis broke, it fell neatly into the blue dressed princess' hands. "Now, however, you've made it clear that you've been blackmailing Jaune and are willing to sabotage your peers merely due to their superior skills. You were correct when you said you would be having a talk with Goodwitch; she'll be much nicer than Link shall be when he hears of what you've done."

A sudden roar though struck right through the Princess' scolding, Zelda pulling out her Ancient Crossbow as both Team RWBY and JNPR prepared their armaments including Jaune as he rushed awkwardly down the cliff. Team CRDL weren't so ready to battle however, their main tactic being to run away in fear from the inhumane sound and for good reason:

"That wasn't the sound of a normal Grimm," Pyrrha remarked as the other slowly stepped forward towards the darkened depths of the Forever fall forest, Zelda rousing Link from his sleep. He didn't question what was happening when he caught a glimpse of the weapon in Zelda's hands, drawing the Master Sword from its special place within his pouch, it and the Hylian Shield sliding almost effortlessly into his grip.

"What the hell is that!?" Yang summed up the situation pretty well as the roaring grew closer, a horrendous shadow bursting out of the trees leaving destruction in its wake. Yes, it was no normal Grimm for its limbs had taken a liquid-like appearance of foul purple. Energy pulsed through its flesh like magenta blood, a metal far too familiar to Link and Zelda merging with the malice to for protective armour along the arms and chest. The main body seemed humanoid in appearance, if humans had a horrifically overlarge gauntlet covering one arm that led to a tremendous scythe formed of pure energy, a pair of rifle-like constructs upon its shoulders. A flowing mane of crimson hair draped down its back with what would've been a skull's face obscured by a single-eyed mask pulsing with energy, but it was the lower half that was truly monstrous; malice had taken form into a collection of spider legs that clicked with every step, leaving craters where it walked. "Come on, we were having fun!"

"Not like we can just let something like this walk around freely," Blake spoke as she leapt forward, Ruby's sniper fire covering her movements as a leg tried to stab straight through the black-dressed girl. Her weapons proved to be ineffective however, the bullets barely doing a thing as they were almost absorbed into its flesh while Gambol Shroud's blades didn't even leave a dent in its armour. "It's flesh is tougher than it looks!"

"It _looks_ horrific!" Weiss snapped back, a delicate twirl having an intricate Glyph form beneath her feet that had the heiress zooming forth at an incredible speed, Myrtenaster thrusting forth to do even less to one of the legs. No matter whether she threw fire, ice, wind or earth at it, the elements were cut through as if they were butter, the blue energy scythe cutting easily through Weiss' defences.

"Yang, go in with Blake!" Ruby called out to her sister, receiving a brief nod before the brawler was joining the melee. The beast was far faster than its humongous size would first make it out as being, occasionally being barely more than a blue that Blake and Ren struggled to keep an eye on. Yang did manage to succeed with getting it to pause for a brief second, yet her strength wasn't enough for her to stop herself from getting flung backwards, the girl landing on her feet with a gentle growl.

"Weiss managed to lose half of her aura in a single hit." The reaper stated as Link and Zelda approached, Crescent rose deployed by Ruby's side as she spoke. "Just what is this Grimm?"

It wasn't a Grimm. Not a normal kind at least, for the knight could recognise that appearance anywhere. Was this the darkness that the voice spoke about? If it was, then that meant horrible things for Remnant.

"You're right. How the voice knew that a demon such as this was alive, I have no idea, but it's our job to make sure that it does nothing more to run this world!" Zelda called out, the Princess' fury bolstered by the sight of Weiss picking herself up and dusting her dress off. "Link, I'll hang back and try to discern any weak spots. You know what to do!"

Understood, Your Majesty.

* * *

The Hylian knight darted forward, stepping to the side to avoid the explosion that rocked the beast thanks to the Ancient Crossbow. He couldn't afford to hold back in a fight like this, for the scythe that blocked the Master sword was far too skilful for such a thing to happen – no matter how fast Link moved, it was as if the monster managed to go even faster until a heavy collision with the Hylian shield sent his skidding backwards, feet digging grooves that slowly grew larger. The two rifles upon its shoulder trained upon his body as it looked at Link, a trio of lasers having Link dart around wildly, the others trying to move forward with the distraction.

"It's preparing lasers, stay away from the blast radius!" Zelda called out, Blake leaping atop the creature's back to slash away at the weapons but they simply weren't going to budge. Ruby's bullets to its eye did nothing either, the girl covering her eyes as a blinding beam of blue burst out to collide with the Hylian shield, Link tilting the surface just enough so that it rebounded back towards the creature. It did little to disconcert it, however, merely continuing to bombard the man until his grip slipped slightly in what could've been a fatal shot.

The burning desire of a Goron to protect his brother welled up in the form of passionate flames. With a mighty roar, he would bat away anything that would dare try to harm innocents!

The fiery shield of Daruk's protection came forth at the last moment, mere millimetres away from link's skin to deflect the beam away. the Hylian's relief only lasted for a few moments however before he remembered that the reflection of Daruk's protection wasn't the same as his shield and turned to see several beams flying far too fast for the accidental new target to avoid.

Blake, look out!


	7. Recovery discovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On Divine Beasts and distracted beatdowns.

A loud explosion sent rumbles through the foliage, but the others didn't have time to stop. Link didn't even hesitate to rush over, meaning they had lost what had been their strongest weapon against the oddly mutated Grimm; all their efforts combined would be required for them to best their foe… or so they thought.

Rather than continue to fight, the beast paused in its actions, undisturbed no matter how much Jaune's Crocea Mors tried to bite into its warped flesh or how many bullets from a variety of firearms were sent in its direction. All it did was watch as the Hylian approached Blake, the girl's blood barely visible amongst the crimson foliage of the Forever Fall forest.

Link was no stranger to the number of wounds present on the girl, though typically they belonged on his own body than someone else's. This world, however, was different, they had natural protection that managed to block many attacks; for there to be blood and open wounds, they would have to be in a far more dangerous situation. Strips of her clothes had been burnt away entirely by the attack, the ribbon that adorned her head shredded away to reveal the delicate cat ears beneath.

Link shuffled slightly to obscure the others' view of her. She was probably hiding them for a reason.

How he cursed how Mipha's grace would only work on himself in this situation! Let no one be fooled, he would forever be grateful for the gift the Zora had bestowed upon him, but its inability to heal others would've come in useful many times he came across a traveller just a few moments too late, their souls returned to the goddesses… no, he had no time to think about that!

Turning to face the beast that would dare do this to one of his friends, Link immediately drew his sword with a mighty roar, but rather than continue with its rampage, the Grimm immediately turned about-face, fleeing into the forest at inhumane speeds. There was no hope of them catching up save for when Weiss shot through the trees with a glyph beneath her feet, only to stumble back a few moments later utterly bewildered.

"I was following it and then it… just suddenly disappeared. Grimm shouldn't be able to do that." The heiress muttered, her blade lowered as she caught sight of the state of her teammate. There was little they could do at this point; they were outmatched and there were no clues of where the creature could be save in the Forever Fall forest. "We need to alert Professor Goodwitch and evacuate the forest."

No arguments there. Carefully lifting the fallen girl into a bridal hold, Link took the front position as they began to make their way back towards the majority of the group, now all clustered together with their weapons drawn as Goodwitch scouted out the area.

Her first impression had been to go and assist with the combat, but the others had been so utterly terrified by the noise, it had been a mess to try and calm them down. Seriously, they were all going to become huntsmen in their future, how were they planning on doing that with so little courage? Then again, even Goodwitch couldn't suppress the shiver of anxiety that crawled down her spine at the noise. Any breed of Grimm which they couldn't recognise was something to be wary of, something that had managed to hide from their detection so close to the school was something to be even warier of.

As soon as the blonde professor met the injured Blake, she immediately looked to the boy carrying her, Link's face grim as he gave a small gesture of his head to the others. He would be able to deal with Blake, the others would be able to tell her what had happened.

"Understood," Goodwitch responded, fully expecting Link to be dashing off with Zelda beside him, but as soon as the regal girl arrived by his side, a sudden blue glow overtook them all, students watching in surprise as the trio simply faded out of existence right before their eyes. From the looks of the others who had been with them however, she had more important things to worry about first that her colleague's constant strangeness.

* * *

"It is good to see you worry over your peers, Link, but Miss Belladonna will make a full recovery, given time to rest and restore her aura reserves." Ozpin placated as he took a long draw from the cup sitting on his desk. As soon as he had been notified, Link and Zelda had been called up to the clockwork area immediately to explain the situation and speaking about it left an unsavoury taste within the back of the headmaster's mouth. "Still, I have never known a creature to be so fierce so close to Beacon. Due to the regular trips out to the area, any Grimm are likely to have been culled before they could reach a stage where their intelligence would grow to such a state. Even then, for them to be able to use technology… the implications of such a thing are tremendous."

"I highly doubt that this is the work of just the Grimm… after all, we have faced things similar before." Zelda answered sombrely, the thought of those… plagues of humanity returning burning far too brightly in Link's mind. At least _they_ had been confined to the chambers of the divine beasts and even then, they would only awake from their dormant state when the majority of the beasts' power had been returned. If they could strike from anywhere now with no limitations, the damage would be irreparable. "The creatures Link faced, Blights, they were born from a catastrophic evil, melded from pure malice and metal into demonic beasts beyond even nightmares. From what I saw of that battle, it would be safe to assume that the evil from our world, from Hyrule… has leaked into your own."

The silence was stifling, even for Link who had spent many a year with saying as few words as possible in the face of his duties. It was almost unreal, like a fairy tale gone wrong; a dark evil from another world enters and brings forth creatures that could destroy everything, with a hero and his princess ready to fight them. You could see the hundreds of thoughts flashing through Ozpin's eyes, yet all that came by his lips was a soft sigh.

"Part of me wants to say that I have a plan, but nothing comes to my mind." The headmaster admitted with a dry laugh. "Something tells me this isn't an isolated incident either; if one was recreated in this world and there were multiple in your world, then it is likely that the evil of your world is aiming to recreate the number here. What weaknesses are we aware of?"

"The only weaknesses we know of are items and people blessed by the goddesses themselves, for they are specifically created to eradicate the light." Zelda recited, the idea having been drilled into her mind many times by a determined father, the objective of awakening the blessing within her meaning quite a few nights sitting fruitlessly in a holy pool. "But all that remains is the Master Sword. Not even my power remains strong enough to make a difference. Any other weapon will take far more effort than can be considered safe."

"Naturally. These things are never so easy, are they?" Ozpin cursed gently, giving a shake of his head as he looked out of the window. No doubt when Ironwood next checked in, he would be all over this issue like an ant to honey. "For now, I can only ask that we delay our work on returning yourselves to Hyrule, as selfish as it is. From the sounds of it, we have nothing that might be able to prove as effective as these 'Blights' as your weapons."

Well, they would be people of the worst calibre if they ignored the plight they had brought with them, wouldn't they? The Master sword would be on their side as long as necessary if it meant innocents wouldn't be harmed. Perhaps they might even be able to finish off Calamity Ganon once and for all this time.

"I agree with Link, I too shall give my all to this cause. I had once thought that Calamity Ganon had given up on reincarnation to obliterate Hyrule, but my judgement was too hasty. As the reigning monarch of Hyrule, I must remove this plague from existence, at any cost!" Zelda declared, holding her hands close to her chest with a determined glint to her eyes.

"If only the huntsmen of Remnant all had the same vigour and purity of heart you two share," Ozpin remarked with a small smile. "Link, I think it would be best if you went to your friends and checked up on their well-being. There is more to this evil that we of Remnant must learn of and I doubt you wish to hear the story all over again."

The actual meaning of the statement was clear to the Hylian; he had let his hatred of Calamity Ganon shine too brightly in his eyes to escape notice it seemed. Still, it didn't mean that Ozpin's words were wrong and thus Link stood with a quick bow to both the headmaster and Zelda, marching out to the elevator with a straight face, the doors shutting with a nearly silent noise as he began to descend.

But then his frustrations rose once more. He had been certain that he had defeated Calamity Ganon, this was meant to be something different entirely! How could he have survived, he had wasted all of his energy on trying to destroy Hyrule, he should've been taken out of the reincarnation cycle completely! Even if he had reincarnated, there were hundreds of years between each round, he shouldn't have been brought back so soon…

What had he done to deserve this? He had done his job, Zelda had done her job, they had paid the price and now they should've been able to relax. Sure, they would've had to deal with all of the politics that came about with trying to reunite the kingdom, but in all honesty, it was an adventure – it was almost a holiday. Half of their time was spent simply taking in each other's company, admiring the countryside and basking in a world where Calamity Ganon didn't exist any longer.

Now here they were. The darkness that had tried and failed to consume their world so many times had decided to try again in a different world and they had been dragged along for the ride. Why!? It was someone else's turn now, surely? With a kick to the wall of the elevator, a low growl escaped the Hylian. He barely even registered where he was walking, for he had been more focused on trying to get Blake to the infirmary than actually memorising the pathway there. It was only when a voice called out to him in the corridor when he took note of his surroundings.

"Mr Link?" Team CFVY, composed of Coco Adel, Fox Alistair, Yatsuhashi Daichi and the one who had called out to him, Velvet. While he had spent a much greater amount of time around the girls thanks to Velvet's extra sparring sessions and how Coco often stayed behind for her friend, the males were certainly just as skilled and friendly as their count, even if their postures didn't show it. "You seem a little troubled. Are you okay?"

Yes, he was fine. Just some heavy thoughts on his brain. It was probably best to keep the news about the Blight appearing in the Forever Fall forest a secret for now; it was incredibly unlikely that Team RWBY and JNPR were spreading knowledge of it and until they knew how to deal with it, the fewer variables the better.

"If you say so…" they began to walk away, but Velvet kept looking back as they turned around the corner. All Link could do was give his most reassuring smile to the velveteen girl. Maybe the only reason it didn't break was the fact he had to hide his emotions so many times before.

What a sad life being a hero had brought him.

* * *

The first thing Blake noticed was a large amount of light. What she had not been expecting however was for a cloud to come over to block some of the extreme rays, revealing not the hospital room she had expected to be taken into or the familiar crimson of the Forever Fall forest, but a land unfamiliar with her. The black-haired girl looked around the desert landscape for any sign of familiar landmark, location or even a creature of Grimm, yet despite the Faunus' efforts, she couldn't find a single thing.

Blake's priority then was finding at least some sort of civilisation. She was out of her depths in this place and if the heat continued to grow as it had done up until this point, then she would be drying out before long. No matter how far she went though, the sand seemed endless, only ruins and broken chunks of rock meeting her path.

She paused when the sound of a tremendous roar rocked the air, reaching for a weapon that wasn't there. Of course she wouldn't have Gambol shroud when she was being attacked, why would it be that simple? The black-haired girl's despair only grew when she caught sight of just what was making the sound, every footstep causing the very earth to tremble - a remarkable feat considering how the majority of the surrounding land was sand.

It was beyond anything Blake had ever witnessed before, a towering machine that looked even greater than a mountain in size. The camel-like creature mostly consisted of brown stone, but the unearthly blue glow that coursed through its body spoke to the power held within it. Barely even coming close to it brought goosebumps to Blake's body, as if it was electrocuting the very air.

"Impressive, isn't it?" Blake immediately whipped around to the voice, met by a tanned woman with a fiery mane behind her, a smug look to her lips as she folded her arms. The woman's attire certainly was… fairly revealing, the intricately detailed top only covering her chest while the blue fabric of her skirt favoured one side, almost not even covering her right hip. How she was able to traverse the sands in heels was anyone's guess, but from the sword and shield strapped to her back and the shoulder pad protection, she was not someone who was to be considered vulnerable. "Vah Naboris: A divine beast of thunder formed thousands of years ago to defeat the Calamity."

"The Calamity?" Blake parroted. She had never heard of such an event, even the advent of the Grimm had never been referred to in such a fashion. Had she somehow managed to find herself in an outside clan, those who didn't associate with the four kingdoms and sought out a life of their own? Impossible, even an outside clan would never be able to hide such a monstrous creation.

"Calamity Ganon, an evil reincarnated time and time again in a fruitless attempt to bring darkness to the world." The lady spoke, staring off into the distance. "It had almost succeeded this time too. Taking over the Guardians that sought to once protect the people and killing the pilots put in place to control the divine beasts, Calamity Ganon had managed to rule supreme for a hundred years."

A world where Grimm ruled, or perhaps an even worse evil… Blake couldn't hope to imagine a world like that. They simply had far too many defences, far too many people training to stop evil for a world like that to come true. That was when Blake truly understood that things weren't all that they seemed.

"What happened to it? Calamity Ganon?" the question brought a smile to the woman's face as she turned up to the giant, Vah Naboris she had called it, who let out a cry.

"There was a hero and a princess." Came the simple reply, her tone familiar and soft as she spoke. "For a hundred years, the hero slept, recovered from when the Calamity first brought ruin to the land while the princess battled the darkness with the holy light granted to her by the goddesses. Once a hundred years had passed, the hero killed the Blights that had taken place in each of the divine beasts, restored the souls held within and recovered all that was taken from him… even though he started with no greater strength than a babe and not a memory to his name. Holding a legendary sword and with the divine beasts by his side, the Calamity was destroyed once and for all."

"…Why are you telling me this?" Blake asked after a moment of silence, amber eyes narrowing. All she wanted to do was get back to her friends, so unless this woman could tell her the way to do that, she really didn't want to drag this out any longer than it had to be. The response was a small tut, the woman shaking her head as she turned fully to face Blake.

"Because the same evil has decided your world would be the perfect new home and the hero and princess can only do so much on their own. They'll need your help, Blake Belladonna." Blake never got a chance to question why the mysterious woman knew her name, or what she meant by the evil coming to her world, or where this other world was even meant to be, the light of the sun growing too bright for her to properly see until it quite promptly faded to black to the sound of the woman's chuckles.

"Link… I see why you made friends with this one."

* * *

Luckily, when Blake opened her eyes this time, it was to find herself in the Beacon infirmary, the bitter taste of whatever medicines had been forced down her throat to assist aura recovery still lingering upon her tongue. It felt weird to move her body at first, but as she teased the stiffness away, she could finally sit herself up enough to look at Link. The Hylian didn't speak at first, only a beautiful smile coming across his face as he held forth a… ribbon.

"…Thank you." She didn't notice the little accessory's absence at first, something that became a bit more alarming the more that she thought about it. Had anyone managed to see her? Had _Weiss_ managed to see her? The white heiress of the SDC certainly wasn't the friendliest when it came to her views on Faunus and even with Link's work towards eliminating the prejudices, Weiss' ideas weren't going to be so easily changed.

Link caught Blake's expression and waved her off. He had tried his best to avoid letting anyone see her Faunus features, so she could continue her charade for a bit longer. It wasn't going to be healthy to keep that going forever though.

"I know but… it's not just a sign of my heritage. It's a sign of my history, a history I'm not proud of…" Blake answered, her fist tightening around the ribbon as she closed her eyes. In the silence, Blake let one eye open, to see Link simply sitting there with a serene look upon his face. Well, this was weird. After a statement like that, she was fully expecting the boy to enquire, yet all he did was sit there. "Don't you want to know more?"

Was she willing to give any more? Link wasn't going to force someone to go through bad memories simply because he got a bit curious, he knew just how powerful memories could be. While he had plenty of beautiful memories, some had brought him near countless sleepless nights. He didn't want to wish that sort of pain on someone just for the sake of it.

At the Hylian's response, Blake dropped down her eyes to the blanket that had been thrown onto her body, curling up beneath it so she could bring her knees up to her chest. Well, might as well bring it up now rather than wait.

"Link… I need to ask you something. How much do you know about what happened back in the forest? How much do you _really_ know?" she hoped her tone wasn't too accusatory, yet she couldn't help but wince when Link's once calm body suddenly became ramrod straight. His eyes narrowed almost invisibly, but the Faunus could tell she hit the right spot.

…Why did she want to know?

"Because when I was unconscious, I had a… I don't really know. I think it's a dream, but it was way too real to be." Blake explained, struggling to put the experience into words. The thing she had seen was simply far too surreal, yet when the woman had spoken, Blake couldn't help but believe that her words were the truth. "I was in a desert, one that didn't match anything I could imagine in Remnant. I met a woman and she told me a story and… she knew you, Link."

A desert? It couldn't be… and yet he couldn't feel the wise sensation within his heart, the thunder that gently rumbled there normally seemed oddly absent. After spending so much time with the small sensation within him, Link felt kind of strange when he couldn't immediately notice it. Upon further inspection, he could still feel the power coursing through his veins when he called upon it, but for the soul itself to feel lessened… what had this woman said? What was the story?

"She spoke about the downfall of the world at the hands of an evil, Calamity Ganon." Blake didn't miss the slight change in his expression that passed through Link's face; it was one of the hardest things she ever had to find, he must've been practically training himself to hide his emotions if he could make it seem so invisible. "How it fell at the hands of a hero and a princess, but not without causing an incredible amount of damage to the world. She said the evil had come to this world and that the hero and Princess needed help… You're the hero, right?"

Well, Link needed to retrain himself to hide his emotions, Blake was reading him way too easily. Well, if he was going to say that she couldn't hold secrets forever, then who was he to hold his own when faced with a statement like that? But it wasn't something they were going to talk about in an infirmary room. The walk towards the door rooms was silent; even when Zelda exuberantly came across to them, she quickly understood the severity of the situation when she met Link's eyes. Brought into their dorm, Blake couldn't help but feel the apprehension in the air as they conversed silently.

"Well Blake, I suppose if there's anyone who could learn about this first, I'm glad it could be someone as sensible as you," Zelda remarked, Blake looking away at the compliment. "But still, let's get the proper introductions out of the way. "You are correct in your thoughts. Link is known as the Hero of the Wild, Head of the Royal Guard of Hyrule and I am Princess Zelda Valerian Renesmee Hyrule, Princess of the Kingdom of Hyrule. To put it rather simply? We are not of your world."

* * *

"Urbosa, Chieftain of the Gerudo…" from the picture of all the 'champions', the greatest warrior each race of an entirely different world had to offer, it was clear that she had met the legendary leader in her dream. Even when she was so relaxed, there was undeniably an air of power to her stance, a power that brought a tingle to Blake's back. Of course, they were all-powerful even if they didn't show it; it was necessary if they were going to combat the monstrosity that had challenged their kingdom.

If this was any other situation, then Blake would be the first one to dismiss it as a mere fairy tale or wishful writing. But then she was faced with actual pictures of the creatures they had described, she had bared witness to the powers these champions had passed onto Link beyond their untimely deaths and there was nothing she could say.

There were other pictures of course held in that weird scroll of theirs, the Sheikah Slate that had allowed them to freeze people mid-motion, manipulate metals like Pyrrha could only achieve through her semblance. Friends gathered around campfires, various beautiful locales that had the dark-haired girl lost for words… and monsters beyond description. Link had claimed that they were gathered to fill a compendium and indeed, alongside each image was a short description of whatever creature or item was featured within it, but with the scale and ferocity of some of the creatures, Blake had to wonder whether it was worth the danger of taking a picture. There was one thing that bugged her the most though with the issue that now plagued them.

"But if only weapons blessed by your… goddesses, can do any damage, then what are we meant to do? Everyone else would only be good for a distraction." Blake wasn't averse to the idea of being a distraction, she always knew that her skillset placed her into the role better than other and her more introverted personality only played up her ability to sink into the darkness. If that meant that Link and Zelda would be fighting those sorts of creatures alone though while they simply watched at the sidelines sinking meaningless bullets and ineffective strikes into the enemy's side, she couldn't help but want to do something more.

"It's not that other weapons are _entirely_ ineffective against the creatures of Calamity Ganon's making, it simply that they are so incredibly _weak_ against them that a normal Blade might as well be a feather upon their flesh," Zelda explained with a frown. "Even your firearms, which we do not have back in Hyrule, don't seem to make any discernable discomfort. Our only lead at the moment of what might be able to cause any damage is the aura of Remnant's people."

The semblances were incredibly varied and even with just a brief amount of time with various students, Link had seen far too many things that he had thought to be impossible without the assistance of gruelling levels of hellish training or ancient secrets now lost to time. Not all of them were offence oriented, but neither were the abilities of the champions, their closest comparison, and Urbosa's fury had been more than capable of striking Calamity Ganon where it hurt. There was no reason why they couldn't hold the possibility.

When they had faced the new Blight in the Forever Fall forest, no one had actually tried their semblance on the creature. The only ones who had offensive semblances were Nora - who required an electric charge that they couldn't supply her in such a surprise attack - and Yang, who needed to be hit to increase her power and the strikes were more likely to knock her down before she reached an appropriate power level. If they _were_ to get people properly prepared with a semblance that could affect the Blight, then who knew how that fight could've gone.

"We're going to have to tell the others at this point, I highly doubt the concept of a Grimm that has mutated strangely is going to be a suitable excuse for long," Zelda added after a moment's thought. "Hopefully, they'll be as accepting of the idea as you are. The people who will be informed will still be limited though."

"They'll definitely listen to you, even if Weiss will probably be questioning the idea at the start." Blake immediately answered. "You've helped us improve our fighting skills so much, you've started to improve the public opinion of Faunus, even if you two aren't actually from this world… does that count as Faunus? Anyway, you've done so much for us that the least we can do to repay you is help save our world. When I put it like that, it doesn't even sound like we're doing anything special."

But her assistance, all of their assistance if they agreed, would be a great help in the battle. Sure, Link had successfully managed to defeat Calamity Ganon once, though not as well as he hoped to, but that had required the help of the four champions piloting the divine beasts and Zelda's intervention over a century. If they truly wanted to defeat him now, when he could recreate the horrors that had plagued Hyrule while the world was also being accosted by the threat of the Grimm, then they would welcome as many trusted people as were willing to believe their story.

"It is just as Link says. We may not know for certain whether the semblances of this world will prove to be as effective as needed to bring an end to Ganon, but we were brought to this world for a reason; We'll need all that we can get if we hope to defeat a millennia-old evil once and for all." Zelda declared, a sad look coming to her eyes. "Maybe then I can finally rest knowing the soldiers who have lost their lives can pass safely…"

The only issue was, they were no army. They were still in school after all, no more than teenagers granted incredible abilities in a world where the smallest evils were much more aggressive than those found in Hyrule. Of course, those abilities they held were far greater than the average sword and shield-wielding soldier, and they had to put their faith in the idea that it would be enough to make a difference. They had to be better than the Hyrulean Army.

They had to be, otherwise, they wouldn't return from the battle.

* * *

She was almost there that time. Just one more go Velvet.

"Mr Link, are you sure I can do this? We've tried it and I haven't managed to get it down yet."

She already had everything she needed. It was just the execution.

"Um, okay then!"

Three-quarters of team CFVY sat in the stands of the gym as Velvet and Link took to centre stage, dissipating particles of blue light still in the air from Velvet's camera. The group had once planned to use their free time to go and relax as a team, but with a random suggestion from Link, Velvet had wanted to try and perfect the technique as quickly as possible.

It was a chaotic move, one that was incredibly difficult to pull off and if the enemy didn't fall from it, then Velvet would be put in a rather perilous position. The sheer destructive power, however, was more than enough to make up for the weakness, an absolute barrage of attacks that very few would be able to escape from without injury.

"Professor Link has changed. He has begun pushing us far harder than he has before." Yatsu remarked, the gentle giant watching stoically as the two trained below. He knew that there was little chance of Link actually hurting Velvet, but who knew what could happen when they were working with such a volatile technique. "He still corrects our fighting styles, but he's become stricter, more desperate for us to improve at a faster rate. I wonder what has made him such a way."

"Well he's a teacher, isn't he? He's meant to be pushing us hard." Fox commented casually, swinging his leg as he laid himself down on the bench. "Can't blame a man for doing his job."

But Coco knew better. There had been rumours from the lower years about a new kind of Grimm attacking in the Forever Fall forest, one that was capable of firing lasers of all things and with the intelligence of an ancient Grimm. Most of the older years were perfectly happy to call it a prank gone wrong combined with the fear of coincidence, but Link's actions were starting to make the fashionista believe otherwise. He has started to put more emphasis on dodging and agility, even for the people who would normally act as the tanks of their team and he had come up with several techniques, both team and individual use moves, that were so incredibly devastating that he had to ban them from use in combat class. They would be far too overkill for the average Beowolf or Boarbatusk; even a Nevermore might not survive some of the crazy combinations the mad blond came up with, so there had to be a reason why Link was pushing it.

With a flick of Velvet's arms, a bright flash of blue lit up the whole room, fading away to reveal an incredible number of weapons floating all around them. From axes to swords, to pistols and spears, there was not a single weapon type a person could think of that wasn't present in the air, forming a deadly dome around Link as he brandished his shield.

And for good reason, because in a second, Velvet was barely more than a brown blur, a sword swinging down in front of him that Link had to flip back to avoid, only to find himself rolling out of the way of a barrage of bullets from a machine gun. To his left and right, a rapier and chainsaw of all things tried to tear him to pieces while a flamethrower burst to life before him and a spear slashed at his back. In no time at all, Velvet was flickering from place to place at speeds faster than the human body could allow, only her Faunus heritage allowing her to achieve the stamina and agility levels to wield so many different kinds of weapons in such a short amount of time.

With the assault coming from every side, Link could only dodge around it for so long before he felt the first hit strike at his shoulder, the distraction allowing for a second, followed by a third to connect with his body until the entire force of the barrage was beating down on to his body. Unfortunately, it wouldn't be able to last long for the weapons exploded in brilliant flashes of light, Velvet losing her energy mid-flight so that she ended up tumbling across the ground to land in Link's waiting arms.

This was the third time it had happened now. There was nothing wrong with the girl from a health perspective, but the sheer amount of stamina that was required to pull off the attack was immense. Her teammates rushed over to the V in team CFVY, helping her into a more relaxed position as Velvet tried to get her breath back. Yeah, so much for a relaxing break from lessons.

Link simply looked over the event with stoic eyes, his face made of stone carved through being by the princess' side for so long. It wasn't as if he didn't feel bad for forcing his students to go beyond what they would normally need to achieve perhaps even in their lifetimes, but the evil they would potentially have to face meant they would need every ounce of strength they could muster up. Link was aware of the looks of slight distrust and doubt that came to their faces, but it had to be done. They had to get stronger even if it meant they had to face his worst.

Even if it meant they hated him.


	8. Truth revealed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On Blake and blights.

"No. this is ridiculous, all of this is ridiculous!" Weiss called out, the only thing stopping her from shouting at the top of her voice being Link's look in her direction. "I mean sure, that Grimm wasn't of a normal variety, but an entirely different world? A world of magic and potions and _actual goddesses_? You two are crazy!"

Ozpin had been more than happy to let Link steal both team JNPR and RWBY to tell them their secret, though Professor Goodwitch had been a bit harder to convince. Ultimately though, she couldn't deny the seriousness of the situation, which led to the two teams being brought to an empty cafeteria, the majority of them sitting quietly through the tale until Weiss finally broke.

"We have the pictures to prove it. Images of creatures and plant life that cannot be found in this world, monsters that cull an entire army platoon in a single swing – and Link has fought them all." Zelda replied with a straight face, the Sheikah slate upon the table with the photo gallery open for display. At the moment, it was Jaune who was flicking through the different photos, one particular photo of a golden Lynel causing him to let loose an unconscious shiver.

"Photo editing exists you know. There's reasons for everything here; a specially created scroll, photo editing, semblances and aura research – and two delusional people!" Weiss swore, placing her hands on her hips with a huff. "I mean, how exactly are you going to prove this stuff? Not as if you can just puff into an entirely different world at a whim. Until I can get some proper, irrefutable evidence as to this story, I'm not going to believe this nonsense!"

The Hylian knight had tried his best, he really had. He had pulled forth elixirs, ancient weapons constructed of an entirely different material than anything that currently existed in Remnant and even a bevvy of his armours with their strange and plentiful effects, yet the Schnee heiress had an answer for everything. There had been plenty of research into how they could further combine the effects of aura and dust into technology and other areas of research and all that he put forth were potentially possible on a theoretical level. His energising elixir had even been dismissed as nothing more than an energy drink of all things.

That one hurt a lot more than it should. Link had put quite a lot of effort into making that.

"Weiss, maybe you should listen to them. We know they're good people, they've been here long enough for us to recognise that!" Ruby reasoned, though perhaps she hadn't made it quite as convincing as she could have. The majority of her attention had been taken by admiring the design of the Master Sword, incredibly basic and ornate yet undoubtedly the strongest weapon Link currently held in his repertoire. "Link and Zelda have no reason to lie to us about this."

"I was led to believe that you were pushing us harder due to the upcoming Vytal Festival. This story of yours… that's why we're training more, isn't it?" Ren reasoned, the fellow green lover's face unreadable as Link nodded. "Then as huntsmen in training, it would be out of place to ignore this threat to the people. You'll have my weapons."

"We're talking to a princess!" Nora had far more pressing matters to discuss than the new evil that was trying to take over the land, the ginger girl almost teleporting around an only somewhat unnerved Zelda with a zealous speed, her awe visible in her eyes. "Do you have a castle? Do you have a whole bunch of servants serving your every last whim? Do they feed you grapes while you lay in bed?"

"Hyrule Castle once was my home, though now… it is nothing more than a reminder of the great losses Hyrule had suffered." Zelda spoke, her tone trying its best to remain level despite how clearly uncomfortable she was getting with the close attention. "As for the servants, I once had many of them; it was quite annoying when you wanted to try and get things done by yourself and they kept interfering. If they started to try and feed me, I would've most likely exploded."

"Weiss, why are you so against believing them? They've done nothing to earn your ire." Blake questioned, the black-haired girl's fist clenching as Weiss continued to stand in denial. "Let's face it, all that research with dust and aura infusion is far from perfected and even further from production; it would be easier for you to get this stuff and yet people who seemingly came from nowhere have something equivalent or even better! It would at least explain the lack of records they have here."

"Quite a few of the villages outside of the main kingdoms don't have those kinds of records." Weiss huffed, going into a conspiratorial whisper as she pulled Blake in closer. "I'm not going to change Blake. Those Faunus are delusional, maybe this is all just a trap to get us to do their dirty work."

"…What?" it was nearly a hiss as the Black haired girl stepped backwards, the clenched fist becoming even tighter as Weiss could only give a slight shrug. They had yet to notice that Link and Zelda were listening in to their conversation, what went unheard by their companions detected by more advanced ears as they tried their best not to make it evident as they answered Pyra's questions on the various species they introduced.

"Look, we know how dangerous that thing is and even if we ignore their crazy story, they know what it is, more than we do." Weiss reasoned, folding her arms as she voiced her thoughts to an incredulous Blake. "What if they're just coming up with this story so they don't have to risk their own lives so much? So they can send us to the deathbed instead? You've seen other Faunus do it with the White Fang. Sugared words about how just their cause is and then hundreds of innocent people get hurt!"

"Have you even been listening to them!? They've been fighting these creatures for longer than we have!" Blake yelled, finally drawing the attention of the rest of the group as the girl stomped her foot in utter frustration. "Look, I can understand being sceptical, I can understand being cautious, but what you're being is stubborn for no reason! You're unwilling to believe them just because they're Faunus!?"

"Well it doesn't exactly help their ridiculous case, does it!?" Weiss scathing answered back, unaware of her how her voice rose. It was only when she turned back to the others to see Yang's shaking head, Link's own lowered as the others sat in silence.

Not that Weiss wasn't telling the truth. After all, the weapons they all had on them now would do little to Calamity Ganon, anyone from Beacon's weapons would be almost useless against the beast. They were pretty much asking them to lay down their lives on a hunch that had yet to be tested.

"Link…" Blake breathed, before gifting Weiss with one of her most hateful glares, pushing the heiress to the side as she stormed off. Ruby stood from her position to give chase, only for Link's hand in front of her to push her back down. He would go instead.

"Understood Link. Be careful." Zelda warned, letting the knight chase after while Weiss dusted herself off as she stood from her position with a sigh. "You are fortunate that Link and I are so forgiving. Well, perhaps forgiving is not the correct term – restrained might be more appropriate. We were prepared for disbelief, but I had not expected our ears to be drawn into this conversation at all."

"I suppose… I was a bit out of place when I accused you of that." Weiss admitted, sitting herself down at the table as elegantly as she could considering she was being scolded. "It's just so hard to believe that alternate worlds can exist. There should be a logical, scientific explanation for why all this is possible and yet there's absolutely _nothing_ to properly back it up. It sounds more like the kind of lies the White Fang would tell to recruit the gullible, the vulnerable."

"Well whether you believe us or not, there is still the issue of the creature that attacked in the Forever Fall forest – the Blight. With your help, we might have devised a plan on how to deal with it." Zelda continued, looking to the window behind them. Hopefully, Link would be able to sort things out before they got too crazy.

* * *

…Blake.

"I'm sorry, but I couldn't just stand there anymore. Not when she was pushing her own bias onto something that had nothing to do with what's at hand." Blake hissed, her eyes narrowing as she looked down on the rest of Beacon. "I thought that if she was going to be faced with so much evidence, she would at least be willing to hear you out. I guess I overestimated my team."

…The roof is a nice place. Calm, quiet and with a brilliant view of the sky and the school. Perfect for escaping.

"Link?" the knight was doing nothing but sitting there beside her, letting his legs dangle off the edge as he kicked them back and forth. He looked lost in the sky, a small smile coming to his face as he continued to gaze upward, Blake following his sightline. There wasn't a cloud to be seen, blue stretching out far save for the occasional distant vehicle making its way with its daily route. "Yeah, it is. The night view is better."

It is. They stayed like that a while, uncaring for the passing time as they remained rooted to the spot. You could tell that Blake felt a little awkward about the arrangement at first, but once some time had passed, the black-haired girl stopped fidgeting as much as she had been, losing the tension that wracked her body until she almost appeared as if she was going to fall asleep. Better?

"Yeah, I am. Thanks for staying with me." Now that she was much calmer, Link finally stood from the position he locked himself into, the pins and needles almost making him fall off the edge completely, Blake giggling softly as the Hylian began flapping his arms about in an attempt to regain his balance. Now that she was more rational, he could get onto the actual reason for why he was here. "Actual reason? What do you mean?"

He meant that he was there to remind her that people had the beliefs they did for a reason. There are times where people have lived lives that are difficult to comprehend from a different perspective or in fact, are the same even if it doesn't look the same at first. While for someone like Blake, it would seem like bringing in the Faunus was simply her being bigoted, Weiss saw it as justified and an entirely possible reason for the situation. The idea that people can't see any reasons for an assumption shouldn't mean that one should assume there are no reasons at all.

"But what kind of reasons could Weiss have? I can't see the connections at all." Blake grumbled, turning away her eyes. It meant she was completely unaware of the newspapers that impacted with the side of her head, the muttered complaint receiving no answer. "White Fang attacks… both recent and old papers."

And all on the Schnee dust company. Zelda had been rather bored one time and decided to research the relationship between the White Fang and the Schnees in closer detail; it didn't take a genius to recognise how either side didn't like each other, but there had to be something more than that to explore. At least, there had to be in the Princess' eyes. Weiss' reasons for being so cautious about the situation? All there in black and white.

"I mean, sure there's stuff about why she wouldn't like Faunus, but none of this matches up with you or Zelda," Blake commented, flicking through the pages with a careful eye, only to throw them to the side when nothing showed up. Link merely rolled his eyes, taking one of them for himself before tearing a particular paragraph out, flicking it in Blake's direction before continuing with a good amount more, faster than the black-dressed girl could read.

" _Those present during the riot were found proclaiming that they were vanquishing the evils that plagued Remnant…"_

" _One claimed, 'A terrible darkness has overcome Remnant and those who wish to see it beaten had to fight no matter what'…"_

"To _recruit their younger members, it is believed that the White Fang are using rarely known Grimm in order to frighten them or kill family members, using the idea of defeating that which once frightened them to entice people to join."_

Weiss' family has had to endure numerous attacks by the White Fang, by Faunus and for a good chunk of her life, has read the newspapers speaking about them. When faced with something like that for her life and then having to be faced with a situation like this, it's only natural that she would become the girl she is. All you have to do is connect the dots in the right way and what once seemed strange suddenly makes sense.

"I guess you're right. I-I've heard these things, I've heard all of those things, but they didn't seem so manipulative back then. It was just oppressed people trying to fight for their freedom of right, pushed into a corner." Blake spoke, her voice wavering slightly. Of course that was what she believed. She was their target. "Th-their target?"

Link's response was to fumble about in his back pockets, finally pulling out one final sheet of paper to send in Blake's direction, the girl discarding the newspaper pieces to the wind as she took the last page. Oh well, someone was probably paid to deal with that sort of thing. More importantly, Blake was looking at the familiar face shown prominently in the picture, a very old protest at this point, just when the White Fang was starting to become more extreme in their manner.

Blake when she was a child. An easily manipulated, simple-minded child. The ones who believed in the concepts of pure black and white, the knights in shining armour; while they existed to an extent in Hyrule, even they realised that there was only so far you could go with the idea, but children? They were more than happy to swallow it up because they knew no better? They were empty vessels and before anyone else could reach them, the White Fang filled them up with ideas of heroism and righteousness.

"Just as Weiss was filled with pictures of the White Fang as a manipulative and evil force…" Blake concluded, her bow drooping slightly as she rubbed her arm with a sigh. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I didn't manage to last with her attitude and I didn't even get to telling them my secret."

Well, there was time. Knowing Zelda, she had probably spent all this time they spent on the roof explaining the plan they had started to formulate so it was likely they were still in the cafeteria. At Link's words, Blake gave a nod, leaping from her place with all of the elegance of the feline she shared features with, jumping between spires with little effort. Link… didn't have that sort of skill to imitate her.

That was what the paraglider was for.

* * *

"Ah, it's nice to see you have returned safely!" turns out, the rest of the group had finished their chat for the moment, instead having resorted to snacking away happily, a near feast appearing upon their table; how did they manage to get Zelda to agree to this? Of course, when Zelda noticed them, she had immediately let out a small blush as she pushed away the fruitcake in front of her. Of course, working to her sweet tooth would make her allow anything. "Yes, we managed to finish our discussion and it seems for the most part, we are in agreement as to where we shall go from here. I take it that your talk was also successful?"

Yep, things had been all sorted out, hopefully. Blake was still somewhat hesitant, not even her composure able to fully hide the minute trembles of her fist as she clenched it tighter and tighter. All Link could do was give her a push forward gently, Blake exhaling deeply as she spoke up.

"Blake, I think Weiss has something to say first." Ruby interrupted with a pointed glare towards the white dress wearing girl, Weiss giving a small huff as she turned away for a brief moment. Pushing away the cup of tea sitting before her, Weiss stood up from her seat, moving in front of Blake with a small sigh.

"I'm… sorry. I shouldn't have been so accusatory and unbelieving of the evidence." The girl reluctantly spoke, Blake unsure how to react. If Link was honest with himself, the faces around the room looked as if they were happy they even managed to get her to do that much, a blush immediately appearing on Weiss' face as she tried to sit back down with as much elegance as she could. "There, now you can tell us whatever it was you wanted to say…don't look at me like that!"

Even a smile managed to appear upon Blake's face for a moment, a deep breath giving her all the courage she needed to reach up to the top of her head and tug away the bow sitting there, the appendages beneath twitching slightly as they were looked upon. The only people who had seen them had been either close family or part of the White Fang; she had expected to never reveal herself so soon, yet here she was, waiting for them to stop staring so intently without emotion. Yang was the first to make a move, standing right before Blake with a judging eye before all of a sudden her fist shot forward faster than anyone could hope to stop it.

"So, does this tickle?" Blake desperately didn't want to admit it, but she was somewhat melting into the petting, barely anyone ever having touched them. That had left them rather sensitive and under Yang's relentless result, it took most of Blake's strength to push the hand away. "So the kitty does like being petted! Seriously though, I guess it does make sense why you would hide something like this considering…"

"…What? I'm not that bad!" Weiss objected, only to receive the dullest look from most of the people gathered around the table. "…Fine, but if I knew from the start, I probably would've taken it better."

"It's just… these ears are a reminder of the past, of the things I've done. Here, it was meant to be a new start and people would be able to see me for the ability of Blake Belladonna, not the skills of the Faunus girl." Blake admitted, swallowing before she continued. "If I kept these hidden, then… I would never have to speak about how I was a part of the White Fang."

"What!?" Weiss nearly spat out her tea as she leapt to her feet, slamming her hands down upon the table as Blake backed away slightly. "Okay, I can understand the Faunus part, but how can you just hide that as if it's no big deal!?"

"Weiss, stop!" Ruby cried out as she grabbed a hold of Weiss' shoulders, wrestling her down back into her seat despite the girl's complaints. Such a strong show of authority was pretty rare from the silver-eyed girl, but it was simply a sign that she was beginning to grow even just a tiny bit more comfortable as the leader of her team. "You said you wouldn't just jump to conclusions anymore! There has to be a reason why Blake was a part of the White Fang, right Blake?"

"It wasn't always violent. I was there when the peaceful protests were happening, but the longer I was a part of it, the longer I realised that we were doing nothing." Blake recalled, her eyes growing distant the longer she spoke. "The people had no reason to care about our protests, but when they suddenly started losing profits from the dust robberies, they suddenly began to listen. We were being treated as equals.

"The White Fang's a terrorist group! Those robberies and attacks were putting innocent lives at risk without the necessary ammo! And the stress caused by them…" Weiss muttered in response, screwing her eyes shut as Blake took a step forward, only for Link's words to echo in her ears, causing some of the anger to leave her words, even if not entirely.

"And the banning of Faunus from shops means that innocent Faunus have been put at risk. Stores that refused to allow us to buy food, trying to shove us into an inhospitable land, the stares and whispers we received when we walked through the streets; we were tired, Weiss. It's not as if I enjoyed doing what we did, but I did it because we were finally being treated as equals. We had succeeded." Blake said. "Once I realised that we were purely considered equals through fear, however… I knew we hadn't won at all. We had simply caused the rift to grow wider. That's why I left, so that we can maybe find a way to properly mend the rift. Can you all accept that?"

Blake fell to her knees, ears drooping slightly as she let her head fall to the ground. This was a new response, they were used to Blake being so quiet and yet powerful in her own right. To see her upon the floor with a bowed head was something entirely different and none of them seemed to like it.

"I haven't truly interacted with you much Blake." Ren was the first to break, his eyes shut as he nursed a cup close to his chest. "Even so, I have fought and learnt alongside you. I have fought and learnt alongside a girl who is strong, willing to fight for her friends and works to better the world. I would be a terrible person if I looked down upon someone like that."

"Yeah. I mean, I'm not exactly as poetic as Ren, but if you hadn't said you were in the White Fang, then I never would've noticed it." Jaune added, scratching the back of his head. "And that's good enough for me, you know? If you had come in here raving about how humanity needed to be crushed for trying to crush the Faunus, then it would be different, but the way you are now? I'm not going to stop being your friend…. We are friends, right?"

Blake rose to be met with both ruby and Yang right in front of her smiling, Link giving a small push until Weiss was right there alongside them. With her guard down slightly, Weiss was unable to stop the group hug the two sisters drew their team, tears coming to Blake's eyes as she was held tightly.

"We're a team now Blake. That means we deal with each other's burdens as well. If we couldn't deal with something like this, then I don't deserve to be called your team leader." Ruby declared, stepping back and holding up her fist. "Even if you were part of the White Fang, even if you hid the fact you were a Faunus from us, we're still going to be here for you Blake."

"Besides, you're my partner. We're in this 'til the end, you hear me?" Yang jokingly added, keeping her hands on Blake's shoulders as she grinned. "Who else am I going to gossip about boys with? Little Miss Innocent and the Weiss Cream aren't exactly any good for it."

"You say that like I'm any better." Blake weakly quipped in reply, rubbing away the tears in her eyes with a smile. "Thank you, guys."

And now they were all waiting for the final words, Weiss closing her eyes in thought before she opened them once more. Her expression remained stoic, but she couldn't hide the final remnants of a blush that stained her skin.

"…You know what? I don't care anymore. With all that I've been told today, this is rather tame." Weiss admitted, trying her best to act suave despite Yang's chuckles in the background. "I'm not going to lie, I'm still rather upset that this was kept secret. But, if I let that get to me, then I'll never hear the end of it from the others, so I suppose I shall just have to deal with it."

That was as jokey as Weiss was going to get, faux casual attitude. As Blake broke out into an even wider smile, a relatively rare look from the girl, a sudden alarm going through the cafeteria speakers had them turning upwards, the headmaster's voice echoing through the hall.

" _Link and Zelda, please come to the headmaster's office immediately."_

Their job here was done. Now to their other job.

* * *

They were greeted to the sight of an unfamiliar man decked in white and grey military uniform, the Headmaster acknowledging them with a small rise of his cup. With a clean-shaven face and carefully dealt with hair, the man seemed the image of perfectionism, his stance strong and wary as they walked into the room.

"Ah, wonderful. It's nice to see that you managed to arrive here so swiftly." Ozpin remarked, sitting at the desk and gesturing for link and Zelda to follow. "This man here is James Ironwood, headmaster of Atlas Academy and general of the Atlesian Military. The information he holds is invaluable."

"Seeing as we were invited here alone, I'm assuming it is related at least partially to our issue?" Zelda enquired, Ironwood looking rather disgruntled at her question. There was no doubt in Link's mind, they were being judged for combat capability and trustworthiness by the man and the Hylian couldn't tell whether they were coming up favourably in his eyes. The very posture he held spoke of a general well versed in the art of combat, whether it be commanding those underneath him or pulling out his weapon; if he was able to handle all of that as well as being a headmaster, he was not someone to be underestimated.

"Are you certain they should be involved with a combat operation like this? They're barely adults." Ironwood objected, Link hoping his irritation wasn't showing on his face. After all, they had managed to defeat what was quite literally an avatar of darkness incarnate; they deserved treatment better than the level of a defenceless child.

"I wouldn't dismiss them so easily. After all, their age means nothing compared to their intelligence and fighting prowess, I assure you." Ozpin soothed with a sip from his cup, the general hesitant to speak until a deep sigh escaped him. Ozpin had rarely led him astray before.

"We have detected strange movements within the Forever Fall Forest, the sorts that are completely undocumented compared to the typical Grimm recorded." The man stated, his arm stiffly throwing down a pile of papers onto the desk for the princess and her knight to look through. "When we heard that there had been a recent encounter with a strangely mutated form of a Grimm, then it doesn't take much to form the connection. The only issue is, it seems to have taken up arms in a dense area which makes fighting impractical and the Grimm has induced strange phenomena which have tripped up our scout troops."

Reports of the ground shifting uncontrollably, opening up tunnels to form traps. Movements seem to be limited, though the extents of such a limit have been undetermined. Heavy losses through the sporadic traps. This didn't sound like the work of a mindless creature, it was something that held intelligence; it sounded just like something a Blight would be able to accomplish.

"Yes, this 'Blight' of yours is the most likely cause with the erratic movements. The only issue is, we don't5 yet have a way to bring it out of the ground without a large amount of machinery and considering how dense the forest is where the records originate, sending people in has been pretty much her4ding them into a slaughterhouse." Ironwood explained, his expression hard, yet still letting his true feelings through. Having to lose men to something that seemed impossible to beat would hit even the strongest soul.

"It is strange, however… typically, hypothesised to be due to the absorption of Sheikah technology into their biological systems, a Blight would only be able to assume abilities within the realms of physical capabilities." Zelda mused, playing with her hands. "Whether it be producing fire, ice or wind, they always followed the rules of science with only minimal amounts of magic involved. Even the Thunder Blight Ganon had required the use of conductors to control its lightning. To simply shift the ground as if it was nothing, either they've assimilated a different form of technology or the magical aspects of their power has been increased."

"It's strange to hear someone speak of magic so casually. Usually, the only time you hear it is in fairy tales or… you know." Ironwood stated gruffly, Ozpin giving the man a small look over the glasses resting upon his nose. "Unless it was able to 'assimilate' technology over a long distance, then there's little reason to suspect that; the closest mining facility is in an entirely different part and none of the known operations employ anything that would be able to do this. Entirely its own power."

That was when a small rhythmic beeping drew their attention down to the slate resting upon Zelda's waist, the princess plucking it off without hesitation and bringing the screen to life. It was clear that the older Hylian text featured within the display was completely lost to either Ozpin or Ironwood, but the more modern language they shared was simple enough to understand.

" _Unknown data compatible with the Sheikah Slate detected. Please update as soon as possible."_

Wait, that was a thing that the Slate was capable of doing? Admittedly, when they had beaten the challenge set up for them by the monks of old, it had been changed to facilitate the summoning of his prize, but to think there was even more that the little slab was capable of…

"Well, none of my research indicated that there was anything like this feature in the Sheikah Slate," Zelda remarked, another set of beeping from the scroll rapidly in Ironwood's hands, the map in his hands showing something that almost made the general break out into swears.

"Damn it, the signature's on the move. This 'Blight' is trying to head directly towards Beacon!"

* * *

There was no hesitation as Link and Zelda began to make their way out of the tower, Ozpin and Ironwood following quickly after as the general pulled out a revolver from his side holster. The trip required to get to the forest was far too long for their comfort, but a necessity as they launched out of the transport at max speed. Dashing past the commonly traversed ground of the Forever Fall forest into the harsher depths. The Master Sword made little work of the branches and bushes that tried to hold them back, Ozpin quick to take care of any of the Grimm that tried to take advantage of the humans out of their comfort zone.

It was the Hylian's first chance to see just what level of combat capability the headmasters of the Huntsmen academies had and Ozpin certainly didn't disappoint in that regard. While Link's main priority was moving forward under Ironwood's guiding words, it didn't mean he could just ignore the scraps that were happening behind him. The white-haired man was incredibly fast with his cane, stabbing forth at such a speed that link could barely achieve when he was giving his all, let alone while he was also trying to move forward in a densely wooded area. It was almost enough to produce afterimages and Link wasn't too sure that was all he had to give.

A sudden trembling beneath his feet caused the Hylian to suddenly leap up onto a nearby branch, the following Ironwood narrowly avoiding the opening of the ground. One look to the rock forced into the shapes of spikes in the pit was enough to make the man sweat slightly, holding up his revolver as he watched over the ground. The signature was rapidly approaching, so how come there was no sign of where it was?

If it weren't for Link jumping from his position to push the princess aside, she would've fallen into another of the tunnels formed by the monster, the briefest glimpse of darkness and red making it clear who their target was. Without any way to track it while it was beneath the ground however, there was nothing they could do until it exposed itself. That was the moment when Zelda suddenly gained a flash of inspiration, her arm strong enough to hurl the Sheikah slate far enough to enter the knight's hands.

"Use the runes! Stasis should reveal its position!" the princess called out, endless times using the slate resulting in Link barely needing to think before the rune was active and a yellow tinge filled his sight. Each of the people present began to take on the familiar yellow glow that symbolised that an entity could be frozen using the Slate's power, the alarming number of yellow silhouettes in the distance not speaking well for their Grimm issue. The most important however was the shape that seemed to swim beneath the ground Link giving a small grin as he began to rummage about in his inventory.

"What on earth are you doing!?" Ironwood called out as his revolver wiped out the life of an approaching Boarbatusk in a single bullet, the man watching his feet in case the ground that should've been there suddenly chose to disappear. What he couldn't see however was the handle that Link grabbed a hold of, a large amount of his might needed to even hold the weapon steady, let alone swing it with any efficiency. That was why when the blond boy jumped, he fell far faster than he normally would've, Ironwood's eyes bulging out slightly when a massive monster of a sword appeared out of, what seemed to him as, nowhere. As it smashed against the ground, a large cloud of dust was kicked up, the earth shoved aside slightly as he made the impact with the ground as the preparation for stasis rapidly disappeared from his eyes the moment he fully withdrew the weapon.

The shadow moving beneath the ground had stopped, but that didn't mean it was in any position to be attacked just yet. That was when he returned the Boulder Breaker to his inventory, another weapon quickly replacing its position in Link's hold.

Ironwood was sure – this kid was something else beyond what he had expected. The fact that he was able to wield such a random heavy weapon when his typical choice looked to be a simple one-handed sword could be explained away by semblances, yet the fact he was able to draw the weapon out of nowhere and replace it with another in the blink of an eye was another thing entirely. The fact that the new weapon was a _Deathstalker tail_ of all things, somehow avoiding the common fate of the Grimm by not dissolving immediately, was just the icing on the cake. A firm kick from the knight and Ironwood could already tell what he was planning to do, moving Zelda back as the spike pierced through the crater he had formed before, the impossible happening before his eyes.

With a cry, Link leapt up in the air, pulling with all of his might. Out of the ground, a monster appeared.


	9. Earthblight Ganon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Of dark creatures and dire consequences.

The Blight let out a roar as the light of day hit it, Ironwood's eyes widening as glimpsed the giant beast crawling to its feet. This was beyond what the Grimm were like, half of its body rotted away and replaced with some sort of technology that he was unfamiliar with, pulsing with a strange energy. One thing was for sure – this wasn't going to be easy at all.

A few shots of his revolver immediately sunk into the monster's flesh, yet from the way that the general had to dodge around the laser blast that came in retaliation, it wasn't hard to guess how little it seemed to irritate the beast. They may have been in a less densely populated area, but that didn't mean there weren't enough trees for Ironwood to duck behind, only to feel the splinters decorate his back with a searing heat while he tried to move to another. The only reason the monstrous being took its attention away from the man was that Zelda had taken the distraction to ascend into the treelines, a blast exploding upon its mask resulting in the monster clawing at its face in pain, turning to where the princess was blowing away the smoke upon her ancient crossbow.

By the time the princess leapt from the branches, the tree was already falling thanks to the scythe that sliced it in half with a single stroke, the Blight reaching out to rend her in two. While not exactly cutting open the princess, it was down to Link to jam the Master Sword into the creature's flesh, forcing it to withdraw the energy scythe and lock with the Hylian's sword, Zelda looking down to her injured leg with a grimace. It was a risk to turn back and look at her wound, but Link did, barely managing to mouth out his plan to her.

If there was one thing to appreciate, it was the fact that despite being more intelligent than the average monster, the Blights were still incredibly one minded. If they were focused upon the Master Sword and watching as Link managed to avoid their strike by the smallest hair, going in at rapid speed with as many strikes as he possibly could when their defence was down, it meant that the Blight wasn't focused upon the small glint that came from Link's pocket, a simple bottle falling out. Link had to react in a second – the Hylian Shield sparked as it met the might of twisted ancient technology, the Blight crawling backwards as Link shoved it to the side.

"A healing elixir of sorts…" Ozpin mused as he watched the Princess reach out towards the small bottle. The plan was a reasonable one: keep the creature occupied with Link while Zelda healed up and Ironwood and he tried to accustom themselves to the threat they were facing. From the looks of things, Link was managing to keep up with the monster's rapid attacks, but the angle of his shield was off, only a red barrier forming along with the spirit of something the headmaster had never seen before preventing the beam from exploding in the Hylian's face. As it was, the trees of the Forever Fall forest were being decimated by the lasers that were launched in their direction.

Zelda wasn't too sure how to react when Ozpin casually walked towards their direction, the white-haired man having kept rather out of the fight at first. A small nudge of his cane pushed the rounded bottle into the injured princess' reach, Zelda initially uncaring as she rose the red liquid to her lips, feeling the hearty effect almost immediately. Admittedly it wasn't the best it could be thanks to the lack of suitable ingredients, but when they prepared, they were forced to deal with what they had. It served to deal with the slice taken out of her leg, however, the wound immediately starting to stitch itself back together (rather painfully, goddesses, how did Link manage to do this sort of thing as regularly as he did!?). Rising to watch the battle, it was clear that neither she nor Link was prepared for what the headmaster would do next.

His speed was incredible. Beyond even what Link was capable of after years of mastering his technique under training from hell. There was not a single Hylian Link had faced who had been able to match his speed and when it came to a direct sword fight, there were very few challengers from the other species populating Hyrule. What Ozpin was moving at however, the headmaster leaving afterimages as he moved, was a completely different level to what Link was capable of. The man repeatedly jabbed his cane into the mask of the Blight, the glowing blue eye being the perfect target for Ozpin to repeated stab with relentless brutality. No matter whether a leg tried to stab him, a laser tried to gouge him or the scythe in the beast's hands tried to cut him, Ozpin always seemed to be five steps ahead, even once slamming his cane down onto the ground to form a green shield around his being that stopped even the strongest of the Blight's attack. That was when it truly seemed to settle in for Link:

Ozpin wasn't doing anything.

Well, that was a lie. The sheer amount of attacks that were being forced onto the Blight left it reeling, huge craters forming in the ground as it tried to brace itself for the speed of the headmaster's attack, but it showed no sign of major injury. Even attacking the weak spot that was its eye did little to add to the lacklustre damage they were dealing. That was bad. That was _very_ bad. After all, even the weakest of Link's weapons could deal damage to the Blights, even if it wasn't a lot, and Ozpin was well deserving of his position as a headmaster of the most renowned huntsmen academies to exist - he should've been dealing a greater injury than it appeared he was. So why wasn't he?

A sudden spike pit forming beneath Ozpin had the man jumping back, the lack of range he had preventing him from immediately going forth once more. Sure, he could easily leap the gap with the strength he had at hand, but from the looks of it, the monster could open those damnable pits anywhere; the man would have to end up flying to get close without falling into one of the pits and his powers as they were didn't allow for such a thing. The monster was changing its strategy, learning as the battle continued. They would need something quick and decisive before their tactics ran dry.

"This Blight is different, no matter how close it looks to the ones we faced," Zelda muttered as she tried to steady her aim, only to fire off uselessly into the sky as the ground beneath her shifted to reveal even more deadly spikes. It was only Ironwood's hand that prevented her from receiving any more wounds at that time, the general pulling her back with all his might to avoid the laser that was shot in their direction. "We must put a greater emphasis on the Master Sword for now; even if all else fails, the power of light will never fail to subdue the darkness. The only question is how are we going to approach it? If only we had the bow of light…"

"So you're telling me that we can't do anything about this?" Ironwood growled, firing off his revolver regardless only to watch as the bullets did nothing to hurt the monster, the general completely lost for words. There hadn't been a single Grimm they had met which couldn't be brought down with enough bullets and ingenuity, what the hell made this one so different?

They should've been able to do something, they had enough evidence to know that at least with the previous Blights, Ozpin and Ironwood should've been able to wreak havoc upon them. The Master Sword was powerful and called upon powers that the darkness naturally abhorred, but there would've been no point to the champions training with their weapons if they weren't going to be useful in the end.

"Well even if we can't deal any damage to them in this state, then we may still act as a distraction, yes?" Ozpin remarked, turning to where the General was reloading his gun, special dust-filled rounds entering the chambers with a soft click as Ironwood sighed. "Don't be like that. This is one of the few times I get to stretch my back, surely you're enjoying this as much as I am?"

"No time for jokes Ozpin. If all we can do is act as a diversion, then we have our orders. Even if they are from a pair of kids…" Ironwood grumbled half-heartedly, raising his gun as both men dashed forth. Whether it be grabbing a hold of the tree branches to swing over the spikes that formed, rapidly lifting themselves over the edges before the earth could clamp down on them like an early grave or preventing one of the Blight's many legs from goring the other, the two were remarkably skilled at fighting in a team. Well, that was what happened when two headmasters from academies dedicated to forming huntsmen teams decide to work together Link supposed.

The Blight fell for the bait perfectly, attracted to the open targets that were Ironwood and Ozpin. The Headmaster formed a steel wall with the powers he held, aura arcing off like electricity with every strike from the Blight bouncing off. Link couldn't help himself feeling a little bit jealous; his defence only allowed a set amount of uses before he was forced to wait out the recharge time, yet Ozpin was taking numerous beatings without as single flinch. A quick slap to the side of his face had those thoughts out of Link's mind however; this was the power of the champion of the Gorons, he couldn't degrade their strength like that.

With its back exposed, it was simple for Link to rush in, pushing his speed to the utter limits as he leapt onto the Blight's back, stabbing the Master Sword deep into its back to keep his grip. An inhumane screech escaped the Blight as it tried to wrench the Hylian off its back, but it had already suffered several deep gashes on its back before Link was tossed off. The laser that pushed him off was met with the Hylian shield, yet the sheer force combined with Link's precarious position meant the knight was sent flying backwards, flipping in mid-air to land upon his feet. Pulling back on the Lynel bow sent a trio of ancient arrows soaring at the same time Zelda shot her ancient crossbow, the glowing projectiles smashing into the darkness incarnate. With so much of the energy flowing through its body, the concentrated shots were enough to disrupt that flow, the beast's flesh pulsating slightly at the collision points in a clearly painful way.

_With the solemn grace of the Gerudo, powerful electricity shot through Link's veins. The warrior within wouldn't allow such evil to survive, even if they needed to call upon an entire storm to bring it to its knees._

Link held his sword skyward as he rushed back towards the Blight, the creature distracted with how Ironwood circled it, dodging every single attempt to pierce the general upon its legs. Ozpin had taken to the air, repeatedly jumping up to bat at its arms and face, whatever attempts to aim it made being foiled with a man of green in front of it, the scythe out of Link's way. The other arm came up in an attempt to block the Master Sword, only to be hurt even worse when a bolt of lightning shocked the blade, the fierce combination of lightning and light driving the Blight back.

Link was panting deeply as Ironwood and Ozpin re-joined their group, neither looking too much better than the knight. It wasn't as if they were done already, but they were still exerting a fair amount of energy to have reduced the Blight to about how far? Half of its stamina? A quarter? They wouldn't have the time to question it, for they were immediately falling into the darkness of the earth, the ground beneath them opening up far faster than it had before to send them tumbling downward, the ground reforming to block out the little light they had.

With rasping breaths, though not of weariness or exhaustion, the Blight opened up the earth beneath itself as well, powerful legs allowing it to safely cling onto the side of the hole as it climbed down after them, the area left silent as the ground reformed, almost as if there had been no battle if it weren't for the massive damage remaining.

They were in the _Blight's_ territory now.

* * *

Link had the paraglider to soften the fall, reaching out to grab onto Zelda as she fell beside him. The princess' cry was cut short when she felt the powerful grip upon her arm, the terrifying fall slowing down to a much more manageable speed as they gradually floated down onto the hard ground beneath them. With Link lighting a torch between them thanks to a handy fire arrow, the two never broke their look between each other as they properly landed. It was almost romantic.

Ozpin and Ironwood colliding in a mess of limbs as they smashed headfirst into the ground? Not so much.

"Is this the work of the creature?" Ironwood questioned as he dusted himself off, Ozpin quick to follow. With only the light of a single fire-based torch to fill the giant empty cavern, it was hard to properly gauge just how large the area was, but there was no doubt that it was the size of the Beacon hall, if not even bigger. "Damn it, we could barely deal with it before, how the hell are we meant to do it when we can barely see more than a metre around us!?"

Well if nothing else, then there was the way that Blights tended to glow thanks to the energy moving through their body. Like over there.

"Oh, right then… what!?" first it was the glow of a single blue eye in the darkness darting around as it tried to find its prey in the darkness, a simple enough task considering that they were surrounding the only source of light in the area. Turns out, an inhumane screech became even worse when it was isolated in an echoing chamber, two more dots gathering energy causing Link to shoot forward and hold up the Hylian shield, two lasers being deflected into the darkness. In the brief flashes of light formed by them, the Hylian knight was given a perfectly good look into the layout of the dungeon they had just found themselves trapped in and it was something he didn't like saying aloud.

The ground was dotted with spike pits. They were lucky when they landed.

"What's with this Blight and its obsession with spikes? How distasteful." Zelda remarked with a weak chuckle. It was a simple way to try and make the situation less tense, but with a spider-like monster of the dark trying to murder them in a dark room covered in spike pits and with no means of escape, jokes could only do so much. "So, we're in a situation where having multiple people is dangerous. We can't spread out due to the danger of potentially impaling ourselves and it's difficult to determine where our enemy is. Unless you two just so happen to have some manner in which to produce light?"

"Seeing as we've proven our weapons are less than useful in this situation, then I suppose I could try a simple experiment." Ozpin's remark was punctuated by the man slamming the bottom of his cane into the earth beneath him, a barrier of translucent green bursting to life around them. It made the area around them much brighter for a moment, but the minuscule radius of the protection caused a small tut to escape the headmaster of Beacon. "Well, I was hoping that would spread out a bit further, but it is still a greater amount of light than a mere fire. At the very least, we have a protected area until we can locate the creature you call a Blight. Once it reveals itself, however, you Link must be the one to approach it."

Well, simple enough. Fortunately for them, they had not been immediately thrown into the underground cavern; they had faced the Blight before when they couldn't see it and Link knew how to detect it. Holding out the Sheikah Slate, the knight activated the stasis rune, the golden light flooding the area and covering every single surface. Even if he wasn't in a position to attack or even defend himself properly, the fact that the rune's special view only moved across flat surfaces meant he could see every single dip and rise in the ground – including when the earth went down to form a spike pit. With something like this, it wasn't _finding_ the blight that was the issue. It was the fact that when Zelda yelled out in triumph, shooting an arrow into the Blight's eye as it tried to power up its rifles, Link had to awkwardly manoeuvre himself around the spike pits and try to move towards the downed monster. In fact, the first time he tried it, Link didn't make it over in time to do anything more than a couple of arrows into its hide, doing minimal damage.

The great thing about the situation, however? They were creatures of instinct – rather than change their tactics in accordance to what their opponents (namely, Link) did, they simply carried out a set routine to kill their enemies, admittedly a rather successful tactic considering the very same creatures led to the death of the champions. When their initial routine wasn't successful however, they only had a second back up plan. Before they could pick up a third tactic, they had usually already fallen by Link's blade and that was demonstrated perfectly here.

Zelda and Link's ears offered them a greater sense of hearing, the scuttling similar to that of spiders allowing them to predict where the Blight was going to be next, link already moving as the Blight crawled out of the hole in the wall it was using to move around, Zelda letting loose with a shot from her ancient crossbow that was already aimed and prepped to fire the moment she caught sight of the glowing blue energy. Screams and cries of pain escaped the Blight as Link let the Master Sword dig deep into the creature's flesh. No matter how the monster of darkness tried to swing its scythe blade, the Hylian was too nimble, planting the torch into the ground just before the downed creature so he could see the perfect places to dodge to avoid the wild strikes. While it took an incredible amount of time and perseverance, sweat dripping down Link's face as he stuck the Master Sword in once more, the creature groaned as an eerie puff of dark purple smoke escaped it.

The Blight tried to scuttle away in a last-ditch attempt to survive, but the blue energy encasing its body caused it to stumble in the middle of the dungeon of its creation, the trio waiting behind protection backing away as the monster took one final swing at them. It had overloaded its systems; with the lights upon its body flickering, the beast let out a low rumble before with a disgusting noise, the malicious material that made up its body began to leak out in a pressurised blast. With three of its legs leaking the material, the Blight fell onto its side, a weak deformed arm trying to prevent the malice that came from its neck. With the way its body began to bloat, however, there was only one way it could go; the barrier formed by Ozpin was perfect for protecting them from the pink-tinged explosion of pure energy that disintegrated the spider-like creature's body, briefly lighting up the whole cavern for a moment before all that was left was something Link was very well acquainted with.

Except, not.

"Ah, I've always wanted to look upon a heart container!" Zelda remarked as she carefully treaded towards Link's location, only for the hero of the wild to throw his hand out before she could move any closer. "Link, what's the matter?"

This heart container… it wasn't what he was familiar with. Sure, it still held the bright crimson he remembered so vividly thanks to the amount of them he had to collect and the pattern upon the majority of its body was still the same but… the casing itself, it didn't have the same golden hue that a heart container should have had. Instead, it had a darker colouration to its golden detailing, almost approaching a purple colour as Link hesitantly held his hand out towards it. That hand was quickly drawn back when the same dark mist began to emanate from the heart container, trails of black entering the red of the heart container before spreading more and more, resulting in Link backing away from a pure black heart covered in malice covered metal holding it together. No, not a heart container he was familiar with at all. Without a moment's hesitation, it started to move of its own accord, leaping through the air until it burst a hole in the ceiling, heading for some unknown location. Part of him was tempted to follow it, follow after what could potentially be the difference between life and death quite literally, but they had more important things to think about at that moment. Namely…

So, how are we getting out?

* * *

What a shame. So the first of his creations had fallen at the hands of the cursed Hero of Hyrule. No matter what he did, it always seemed as if the brat was one step ahead of him regardless of age or location. Still, that didn't mean his plan was over with. On the contrary, this was far from over.

He looked upon the delicate object floating in front of him; having a heart container act as the base core of his Blights resulted in immense power, at the cost of allowing the hero to utilise their strength when the Blights were beaten. One might've thought he was an idiot for using the same system again. _That_ was something else he had to thank this strange new world for.

The matter that made up these pitiful creatures, while not suitable for acting as powerful enemies without years of experience or assistance from his Malice, still held its own particular properties. Specifically, the way that it made the heart containers far more malleable to his orders without an excessive amount of his malice needed to subdue them. Without restraint and without having to sacrifice so much of his power to form his Blights, he was free to grow even stronger than he had done so before, maybe even… no, he was getting ahead of himself.

He had thought that the greater amount of dark magic within their bodies would be enough to nullify the power of the Master Sword, yet of course, those cursed goddesses had made it strong enough still. It did result in a greater immunity to the pathetic weapons all the other humans used however and a hero could only do so much by himself.

He reached out a hand, grabbing the black heart container hovering before him. Yes, he could feel it already… the purity that had once plagued the power source, it _welcomed_ him now. The darkness that the Grimm held, even if it was inferior to his power, was _far_ more abundant and pouring it into the Heart container had been simple enough with skilful control over the substance. What had once been a beautiful gift to the light was now poison to them, a far better power source to his Blights and also…

Within his powerful grasp, the Heart container was crushed, the tainted fluid that made up its being almost leaking between his fingers. Already, he could feel the rejuvenating effects that had once been dangerous to the darkness, the healing power that had once been forever lost to him. In a single motion, he swallowed the whole thing, a brief burst of purple light filling the area as his body grew in strength. It wasn't what it had been before, not just yet, but given enough power, perhaps he could finally gain the strength to terrorise this new world and Hyrule once more. It was a waiting game.

The matter which made up the lower life forms needed time to corrupt the heart containers and what better incubators that his Blights? Yes, he would wait for the next power-up. After all, despite how smart the hero and his princess thought they were, they would never be able to let his Blights go free and if the aspects of him died, then they would release the precious power sources back to him - a win-win situation for himself. He could feel the revitalisation of his body beginning; how sweet the next corrupted heart container would be.

* * *

Fortunately, with the assistance of a Rito's skill in the air and the paraglider, Link was eventually able to break free from their underground prison, the Forever Fall forest left deadly silent in their wake. The return to the headmaster's office back at Beacon was just as silent, Link watching over the grounds diligently as they passed; it was strange, team RWBY seemed to have disappeared.

"I must ask, what was it that floated away when the Blight was defeated?" Ozpin asked as the man positioned himself behind his desk, Ironwood taking a position beside him while Zelda and Link sat on the other side. "It looked to be a heart of some sort, though not the sort of heart you would expect to be taken from a living being's corpse."

"It's a heart container, a special object. From where our research stood beforehand, we're not too sure how they come into existence – initially, our thoughts were that they were a blessing from the goddesses, yet they were found after the defeat of the Blights, as you saw." Zelda recalled, taking the Sheikah Slate for herself so she could skim over the masses and masses of notes the girl had scribbled down and taken pictures of. "The one that came out of that Blight, however… it was different from what we're used to, what Link has seen and what had been hypothesised before. From what Link has told me, they are inanimate, yet this one started to move of its own accord and its colouration darkened, almost as if tainted. It shouldn't cause any harm normally if someone finds it, the opposite in fact…"

"Well if it isn't an issue, then I should be getting back to my own academy. After all, the major concern was the defeat of this creature." Ironwood declared, turning to Ozpin with a certain look in his eye that Link couldn't make out properly. "Should anything come up, then feel free to call me. I'll need to find a way to explain this off to the men who detected this."

"Going so soon? A shame. In that case, I feel I shall be calling you sooner rather than later." Ozpin answered absently, watching as the general gave a small salute and disappeared out of the door, a weary sigh coming past his lips. "My apologies if your first interactions with James were a little abrasive. The man means well, but this sort of thing is far out of his field. He's more the man to stick with rational ideas and introducing him to things he cannot see the logic in can disrupt him a little more than he's willing to admit."

It made sense. Had he never witnessed what the Blights were, just what they were capable of, Link would've reacted in the same way probably. They had been tailored to defeat their set champion, yet whatever had created these, if Ganon had truly come back, then there was nothing to base them on specifically. If Ironwood was confused, then they were only a tiny step above – there was no way to predict them and their power was great and varied.

"Still, the Blight has been defeated- that is a weight upon our souls lifted for now. At the very most, the Calamity could only form four when at the pinnacle of its power. Producing more should be unreasonable after its defeat." Zelda reasoned, letting the slate in her hands fall onto her lap. "Then again, there has never been a time where the actions of the darkness have been predictable. Even with this victory at our hands, we should not underestimate what may come next. Heightened security and vigilance are of utmost importance."

"And it shall be done immediately. In fact, we were naturally planning to have a greater security presence around Vale. After all, the Vytal Festival is coming up and with such a concentration of teenagers, armed and with all of the impulsive recklessness that their age brings, it would only make sense to have few… precautions." Ozpin replied, with a small chuckle to himself. "I'm sure it won't be too remiss if I were to request to increase them. After all, the safety of our people is paramount and when there have been rumours of a particularly powerful Grimm lurking around, there's no room to slack. Now, go rest. You two I feel deserve it right now."

Well, that was an order Link didn't have any issues with, the pair of blondes walking out of the headmaster's office and down the elevator in quiet contemplation. Their travels saw them sitting upon one of the benches in the central square, a deep sigh escaping Zelda as the princess mused.

"What do you think has happened to that heart container? Leaving something like that out in the open… who knows what someone could do with greater vitality than normal." The princess muttered, link remaining silent at first as he formulated his thoughts.

The princess had said it before – there wasn't an issue if someone normal came across it. If it was a civilian, they would have a greater chance of surviving should there be an attack on them and that was never a bad thing. If someone with villainous intentions managed to get their hands on it, however, then things would be far different. There was no denying that they would become a greater threat.

But there was no telling how much greater they could become. After all, he had only used heart containers and stamina vessels to return to his original state before his deep slumber had reduced him to a shell of what he once was. Every time he had used one, he hadn't been gaining anything, but merely having his body returned to what it had once was. How many 'hearts' worth of vitality did the people of Remnant have? The only way to know would be to reduce someone to their absolute minimum and it was considered frowned upon to push someone beyond the limits of their aura protection. For all they knew, beyond someone's aura, they might only have a single 'heart' of vitality and adding another one wouldn't make much of a difference when faced with a strong blade and wielder.

"That's true. The moment that a student hits the red marker when a scroll is monitoring their aura, then the battle is considered over no matter the circumstances. I suppose we could research health and anatomy, but the conversion would be difficult." Zelda agreed, resting her head against her hands as she leant forward. "Why does this have to be as difficult as it is? Why couldn't it just be another trip to the Zora domain?"

They could never have had it any other way – it was woven into the very souls that they would be faced with a constant battle against the Calamity. They had taken down once, they could do it again and they had proven that with their demonstration against the Blight that had appeared before them. Sure, it was more difficult than it had been before but they had proven themselves successful. There was simply no one else who could deal with it, even if the battle had spread into an entirely different world.

"Zelda! Link!" the cries of a young girl drew their attention towards where the four girls of Team RWBY were running towards them. Well, it was more like Ruby running towards them and her teammates trying to catch up with how the scythe bearing girl had changed into a blur of red petals. "It was so weird when you left because Blake said she was going out to get some fresh air, but then she seemed to be gone for so long so we all went out looking for her, but she wasn't in any place she normally was, so we thought that Weiss had still upset her, so we ended up looking for Blake except she was with some monkey guy and they were trailing the White Fang and there was the mean thief who I thought just before we came to Beacon and I met this cool girl called Penny who was kind of weird but she was super strong and we managed to stop the White Fang and it turned out that Blake didn't feel upset with Weiss! And now we're here!"

How… how much of that made sense? Was it just Link who was a little bit confused?

"I think we might need to hear that again. After all, we have our own story to tell while we were gone." The Princess answered, Ruby nodding rapidly as her teammates merely gave their sighs and teasing to the youngest girl. Link let the others do most of the talking, merely listening with the odd chuckle and nod of acknowledgement whenever Ruby paused in her storytelling to look at them in anticipation. It wasn't that her story was anything boring, far from it – the fact that they had managed to bust a major operation while still in their first year of proper huntsman training was something that he would praise in the soldiers he had trained – followed by a far harsher regime as punishment for acting out of line rather than requesting more assistance.

When Ruby heard that, she did pale a little bit, the others laughing at her misfortune.

That laughter stopped when Link reminded them that it also applied to them. Blake especially, she should've known better and from the way this story was being told, she was the one most responsible for it. A healthy blush appeared on the Faunus' face when she heard that.

"Well, at least we can be certain that you lot have become more accustomed as a team. Now, all we have to do is make sure your physical skills are up to scratch." Zelda remarked with a pleased clap of her hands.

"It's a shame though, that spider thing was asking for a beating and I wanted to be there to add in my own punch." Yang lamented, dusting off Ember Celica with a grin. "You should've told us what you were doing and I could have called _shotgun_."

No, bad Yang. No puns.


	10. Out in the town

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Of bikes and battles.

Summer vacation had been… hard.

Though he may have been pushing the students of Beacon ever harder in their lessons and earned their complaints many a time, it was still something that they had all come to enjoy. Unlike other lessons which, quite frankly, were just as boring as any other school you could go to, let alone a school dedicated to the eradication of monsters, Link's lessons were a chance to let loose and fight in a supervised manner and let out a little stress. Honestly, it reminded the Hylian of the various fumbles and mess-ups that had occurred during Hyrule knight training when he was captain, a single mess-up usually leading to a large brawl that had everyone laughing and nursing a few more bruises than they should have.

Come summer vacation however and everyone simply… left. It wasn't as if he was expecting anything different, naturally – everyone had lives and homes to return to, their entire being didn't just revolve around attending Beacon and doing nothing else. Link had believed that he would simply spend the time with Zelda and enjoy the various forests that were relatively close to Beacon; he had spent a large amount of time alone and Zelda's presence had always been enough to fill his time with joy. Link had spent his time with the princess and he had enjoyed it immensely, but there still seemed to be something missing… But what?

"Oh Link, you do miss them don't you?" Zelda chuckled in response around her fruitcake, a sigh escaping the royal as they gazed out towards the sky. Their picnic had been going on for a while now, a peaceful silence only filled by the sound of Hylians eating – this was the first thing Link had said to her so far. "You've made a greater bond with your students that you realise, _teacher_. Have you noticed how much Ruby is like Yonei?"

Ah yes, Yonei… when Link had his memories of the time he was training the new royal knights returned to him, he had been flooded with names that seemed so foreign to him, yet the people were those he wished he would never forget again. Yonei had been the youngest of the knights, an energetic young man who, even knowing he couldn't succeed thanks to the girl's innate abilities, would still try to challenge her to a race. That kind of innocent purity was like Ruby.

"Isn't it? Well then, how about Ceelia?" the princess pushed.

A quiet, calm girl who had made every strike perfectly, obsessed with the idea of romance, expect she was going to be the knight in shining armour to save her prince in distress. Considering some of the books that he had seen Blake holding during her off time, hearing some of the mutters she made when she thought no one could hear her… yeah, the cat Faunus was pretty similar to Ceelia.

And then there was Naylar, a bad pun maker with the strength of a man about three times his size. Give him a couple of gauntlets and he would be the perfect copy for Yang… maybe not the shotguns though. Naylar was clumsy enough to properly shoot down half the castle simply by accidentally pulling his fist back. Once.

"Probably!" Zelda giggled, a finger finding its way to her chin. "I suppose that leaves Weiss… Well, if I find someone, then I'll tell you later. Anyway! My point is, you've bonded with them as you bonded with your knights. A captain without his knights is just a lonely man after all. You can't get rid of that ability to make bonds no matter how many years pass by."

That was true… how many friends had he made, even by accident (though he would naturally never admit it to any of them) simply by helping them out? Especially now that he was associated with princess Zelda, he had been working with a far greater number of people and he could honestly name a large amount of them and quite a few anecdotes they had told him during duty. That same instinctive charisma just so happened to be working in Remnant as well and absence makes the nose grow longer… or something to that effect.

"Don't worry yourself. After all, they've already returned, lessons start up again tomorrow, right?" Zelda added, Link giving a small nod. They had already seen a couple of those carriers flying through the air, they were carrying the students back into Beacon ready for the next term. It was because of that reason that they were outside once more – beyond Link's natural affinity for the wild, the canteen was packed and there was little reason to try and find some food when he _knew_ he could produce something of better quality with a literal campfire and pot. "We can see if they're eating or something."

But a sudden rumbling around them caused the pair of blondes to suddenly turn their eyes forward to the rampage of students running away, stray words entering Link's ears causing the Hylian to immediately leap to his feet. A fight was occurring in the canteen?

"What? Link, wait!" Zelda called out, but the knight was already in motion, shield slipping onto his forearm as he dashed off. Link had always been far more physically capable than Zelda could ever hope to achieve, however, meaning that no matter how hard she tried, she would never be able to catch up to the knight before he reached the canteen doors and threw them open. A pair of boys stood to the side were pushed aside with a silent apology as the warrior scanned the area, threats detected from all corners.

He wouldn't be able to pull out a weapon in time to stop the incoming projectiles, so instead, he called upon the next best thing. Swinging with all of his strength and a powerful yell, a table soon smashed each of the items sent flying in his direction, a fierce kick helped along by the winds of a Rito sending it flying in the general direction of the attacker. When he sensed people striking from the sides, a pair of nearby plates were thrown with incredible strength, slicing through the very air with the speed they flew and rotated.

Link knew his enemy was unarmed – the only weapons they seemed to use was the food available to them within the canteen. That didn't mean the same courtesy would be returned by the blond boy, especially when a pair of turkeys started to fly in his direction. Such good food was quickly wasted when the Master Sword was forced to dirty itself by slicing them cleanly in half; if the goddesses were watching his actions, they would probably be appalled that their all-powerful weapon was being utilised upon poultry of all things.

Letting out a silent groan when his next slice released all of the pressurised drink within a collection of cans sent in his direction, Link caught a glimpse of what appeared to be Blake battling against Ren of all people. No, that wasn't possible, they had been on good speaking terms at least when they left, there was no reason for them to be fighting outside of a sparring situation. Link couldn't dwell on the thought for too long, however, for a breadstick slammed against the Hylian shield, barely a threat to the Master Sword as the knight whirled around and caught a glimpse of his opponent, the same opponent he nearly sliced in half without hesitation.

Ruby!?

"Link!? Whoa, whoa, stop! Food fight, this is not fair!" the scythe wielder whined, immediately throwing her hands in the air and dropping the half of a baguette she had been wielding as a makeshift weapon. Just what the hell was going on here, he was told there was a fight breaking out and as soon as he entered h-!

The knight couldn't drop his attention for a second, seeing as a giant squirt of ketchup of all things suddenly covered the floor, Weiss shooting past his position as if she was using one of her glyphs, a freaking swordfish of all things acting as her favoured Myrtenaster as she thrust out towards Jaune, the boy doing his best with a broad sword. Flipping away onto the wall, using stasis upon his shoes to keep him stood upon the vertical brick for a better view. Pyrrha placed her hand upon the ground, her energy moving through her surroundings, a magnetic field lifting all of the cans that surrounded her from destroyed vending machines. As the giant wave of metal began to fly, Link let out a small growl escape his throat, the fierce captain of the royal knights coming out once more as he kicked off from the wall, sending himself flying right into the middle of the chaos.

This…

Was…

_**RIDICULOUS!** _

As soon as Zelda pushed her way through the doors, passing the shocked bystanders watching, the princess was greeted with a sight she had never expected to see. Winds lifted Link into the air, Link holding on to the paraglider with a single hand as the other held on to a table, releasing the paraglider to fly off aimlessly while he struck downward with all of his might. In a second, all of the metal Pyrrha had been so carefully controlling was ruthlessly crushed beneath the weight of the table, Link on top of it as all fighting stopped. His words summed up the thoughts of many of the people watching, both Team RWBY and JNPR shrinking back at the sound.

What in the _goddesses' names_ was going on!?

* * *

A food fight was meant to be a trivial thing. Though it didn't happen much do to the ire of their captain when good food was wasted, there were times where they broke out within the knights' dining hall and it was a fairly reasonable little bout to help improve their improvisation and dodging skills.

What had just occurred and what link had learnt from witnesses… it wasn't a food fight.

It was a food _war_.

If he was anyone stricter, they would probably be permanently banned from the canteen and forced to clean the entire mess with their own hands as well as the canteen for the rest of the school year. If it had been his own knights that had caused such a mess (and they would be utter _fools_ to have ever done so), then it would be double.

But as it was… they were not his knights. These people had powers that went far beyond the capacities most people in Hyrule could even dream of. They had access to technology that would've caused a revolution in his home kingdom, their training honed skills that would've written legends. It was only natural then that they wouldn't hold the same restraints when it came to these sorts of thing – to the people of Remnant, attending one of the best huntsman academies the world had to offer, this _was_ a small and simple bout.

That didn't mean they were getting out of cleaning the place up, however.

At Link's orders, a low groan escaped half of the group, the others simply bowing their heads – as he had said before, they could've received far harsher punishments than what they had now after all. A content hum escaped the Hylian as the group started their work on trying to clean up the entire place without assistance, a rather notable feat that was bound to take a long time considering the sheer amount of mess they had managed to form. Ah, their complaints reminded him of the old days.

"Link, do you see that?" Zelda's voice brought him out of his stern persona, the knight looking to the window where the princess was standing. Unlike the other ships that had been coming to and from the academy, there was something far more ominous about the airships that flew down upon the port. If he strained his eyes, Link could tell the various odd items planted around the airships – weapons he was unfamiliar with. "Is this because of our battles?"

No doubt about it. If there was any other reason as for a sudden fleet of heavily armed vehicles being used to approach an area where a large threat was recently detected, then Link would eat one of the hats he owned. The only question was… would it end up being needed?

* * *

"You and I will head to the CCT and check the Schnee records for any other Dust robberies or inconsistencies. Seeing as I'm in the family, it shouldn't be a problem."

"The White Fang has regular faction meetings to hand out orders and recruit new members. If I can get in, I can hopefully find out what they're planning."

"I have an old friend on the shady side of town that typically knows everything going on in Vale. Getting information out of him shouldn't be too hard..."

"Great! We'll meet up tonight near Yang to go over what we found. Let's do this!" Ruby's cheer was interrupted by the sound of the growing wind, a yell from outside causing the whole of team RWBy to glance out of the window to where a blue blur suddenly flew upwards. Naturally, the leader was the one who stuck her head out into open, watching in confusion as Link slowly began to flat down, the paraglider in hand as well as another body that the Hylian quickly threw. With a small yelp, the dark-haired girl leapt back, avoiding the tumbling body of a blonde Faunus and giving just enough space for Link to delicately slide himself into the room with far more elegance. "Ah, intruders! Team, at the ready!"

"Wait, Sun? Link!?" Blake gasped out, startled. Gently lowering her weapon, though not fully, the cat Faunus gave a small hiss at the way Sun grasped the back of his head with an awkward chuckle. "What are you doing? How did you even get up here!?"

To be honest, Link had just been kind of passing by when he saw two people casually climbing on the side of the dorms. Of course that was incredibly suspicious, so he waited to see what they were doing, when it turned out they were spying on the team, he had to act.

"Yeah, you should've seen it! We were waiting and then all of a sudden this guy just jumps super high into the air with a gust of wind around him, it was amazing!" Sun praised energetically, not at all phased by the rather rough landing he had just been forced through before his face suddenly became a little bit sourer. "Wait, where's Neptune? He isn't going to want to miss out on taking down Torchwick and he was right beside me."

"Hey, guys?! Can you help me!?" sticking his head out of the window, Sun couldn't help but let out a snicker, Blake too letting a small smile appear on her face when she caught a glimpse of the blue-haired boy hanging limply from a tree. Try as he might, his arms simply weren't long enough to reach behind him and loosen himself, more than a couple of people coming with their scroll cameras at the ready. Link just gave a small shrug.

Well, he only had so many hands and one of them had to hold on to the paraglider, he couldn't lift both of them into the room. Besides, it was safer than the ledge. Anyway, why was everyone sounding as if they were going to go on some major mission? There wasn't anything planned.

"Um, well… it's not like we were planning to do anything _bad_ , right team?" Ruby muttered, receiving a group of rapid nods. Link could only sigh in response.

Okay, so nothing bad. Was it something _against the rules?_

"Er…"

"Look, Link. The White Fang's out there working with a human, a well-known dust thief Roman Torchwick." Weiss eventually broke with a roll of her eyes. If this stupidity carried on for any longer then they wouldn't be getting anywhere. "Thing is, Blake here believes that we're in a position to deal with them, or at least make sure we're aware of any attacks in the future and she's somehow managed to convince the rest of us. At the very least, we have a plan of action."

The White Fang, the anti-discrimination group bordering on terrorism… to say that a team of huntsmen were able to deal with them was a bold statement; saying that a team of huntsmen with only minimal training were trying to achieve the same feat? It sounded almost impossible. If they didn't have any help, then they would be done for.

"So does that mean…!?" Ruby asked with a growing smile, Link's matching hers.

Well, he couldn't exactly let them get off without punishment. They could do this, but they would have to do a favour for him and Zelda, to be disclosed at a later period.

"Yes, sure!"

* * *

The plan was set: Link would go with Yang and Neptune to question Yang's… special friend, about any knowledge of what the White Fang was up to, Blake and Sun as Faunus would attempt to infiltrate a White Fang meeting and Ruby and Weiss would make their way to one of the grand CCT information towers in order ascertain particular files from the Schnee company on dust robberies.

"But wait, what are we going to do about rides? My bike can only fit two." The blonde brawler pointed out as they prepared to separate, Bumblebee sitting proudly next to the road, raring to go. Link merely held up the Sheikah Slate with a nod, pointing it towards the tarmac and flipping through the various runes present within, his final rune burning to life with power the knight still didn't truly understand. Where once, only empty air existed, blue energy wisps quickly began to spiral around one another, morphing and solidifying before a beautiful steed roared to life. The horn quickly took on a blue tinge as the armour surrounding it glowed with orange power, Link delicately stroking the side of its head before leaping onto the saddle and taking hold of the handles.

This… was the Master Cycle Zero.

And it had been an absolute _pain_ to retrieve.

"It's… that's amazing!" Yang cried out as she immediately ran over to the motorcycle, running her hand along the cool metal that formed its body. "It's nothing like anything I've ever seen, this chopper looks like it could take on anything. Looking for a trade? I've been meaning to find some more _horse_ power!"

No time for puns Yang. It was time to get moving to wherever this 'friend' was meeting them.

"Fine, fine. Come on Neptune, it's going to be a bumpy ride."

"Um, can it not be a bumpy ride?" Neptune attempted to ask, hesitantly sliding himself onto the back of Yang's bike and holding on for dear life, two engines screaming out into the night as both Link and Yang kicked off. Of course it wasn't going to be a bumpy ride, not with the way that Yang was pushing Bumblebee as fast as it could without being too reckless.

The thing is, Link wasn't exactly used to road speed limits. After all, the sprawling open fields of Hyrule didn't exactly warrant any sort of need for road control, Link possibly being the only one who could achieve the speeds that he could on the Master Cycle Zero. In the world of Remnant? There were hundreds, if not thousands of vehicles that could achieve the same feat. The Knight had the chance to face one of his most awkward challenges yet.

Traffic.

Or at least, he would have if Yang didn't make it a challenge. With nothing more than a wink in Link's direction and Neptune's screams in her ears, Yang was zooming down the empty streets, Link's competitiveness rising to levels he hadn't felt in a while. The Master Cycle Zero was fully fuelled, there was nothing to restrain him; full speed ahead.

Naturally, it meant that they didn't take long before they reached their destination, Yang winning by the smallest of margins; that was mostly because Link still needed to watch the blonde to understand when to stop seeing as he wasn't aware of where they were going beyond 'Junior's'. While Yang was happily bolting down her bike and Link let the Master Cycle Zero fade away, Neptune was left to mildly slide himself off the bike, legs like jelly as he moved towards the doorway.

What was inside, Link had not been prepared for.

Yang had to punch down a couple of men hanging outside the actual doors, which immediately made the Hylian question just how likely the whole 'friend' idea was first of all, but the cacophony of noise within the actual building itself? It was _horrendous_. Even just the tiniest crack in the door before two more men tried to slam it shut hurt his ears, the sound left echoing inside his head. Unfortunately, their part of the mission meant that Yang cocked back her gauntlet, a small smirk appearing on her face as a single punch had Ember Celica blasting the metal apart to let that horrific noise assault his ears once more.

"Guess who's back!" Yang emphatically declared as she strutted into the room, the few seconds letting Link get a feel for the room. Completely black, save for the occasional highlight of red and the crimson colours of the drinks on display; if it weren't for the potions the knight had to consume throughout his life, Link would've thought that no drink could attain such a bright red colouration, the bartender letting out a strangled gasp as soon as he caught sight of who had arrived. Almost as soon as the bear mask-wearing man at the back lifted the needle off his music player, several different guns were pointed in their faces, each person wielding them with fierce anger in their eyes.

So, about that whole 'friend' thing…

"Don't worry. I couldn't ask for a nicer greeting."

"Wait, wait, don't shoot." The bartender cried out as he pushed his way through the various men ready to fire, guns immediately lowering as Link let his hand fall from the handle of the Master Sword. That was good, so they were talking to the most important person in this establishment. "Blondie, you brought friends… why are you back here? I thought you left enough of a repair tab before."

"Well, you still owe me a drink." Yang simply answered, taking the man by the collar and dragging him over to the bar where he had been working. Well, might as well get comfortable somewhat; who knew how long they could be there? There were quite a few people who looked like they would prefer them skewered as well. Lovely.

* * *

"I can't believe he left me here!" Zelda cried out as she folded her arms; no matter where she looked, there was not a single sight of Link nor Team RWBY. Whatever they had managed to get themselves involved in, they had, for some reason, decided not to inform her, Link informed her of everything!

So instead, she had decided there was no use griping about such a thing. With a handful of beautiful fruits prepared by a particularly excitable volunteer in the canteen, the princess had made her way out towards the Cliffside of Beacon, gazing out upon the beauty that lay beyond the edge of the land. Honestly, it was as if that kitchen boy thought she would fall for him just because of a few well-arranged fruits!

When was the last time she had been alone like this? Not since… not since she had spurned Link's assistance back when during the time of the Champions. Ever since then, she had always had the help of either her friends or one of the many servants Hyrule Castle kept to maintain such a masterpiece of architecture and the royal family. Zelda was divided on whether she was enjoying the time alone or not.

Even when she was sealed away, she still had the pleasant company of the Calamity, giant raging ball of evil Scream-y hatred as it was. It was almost like a dream at this point; a princess' endless years of struggle against a tyrannical evil, a constant battle between the light and dark that never rested… but now, Hyrule was at peace, even if this world wasn't.

Planting grapes one by one into her Mouth, Zelda started to hum a small lullaby as she watched the passing birds. It was a simple one, one passed down to her by her mother, bless her soul, when she was still alive and Zelda had been nought but a babe. Even the first few notes brought forth a wonderful image, hazy, but of a gorgeous woman sitting her in her lap, skilfully strumming upon a harp and singing that lullaby. It was the only thing Zelda had left to cherish from her.

The beautiful night sky however quickly began to grow stormy, a sigh escaping Zelda; well, she hadn't bothered to check the weather and this was the consequences. It was only a moment later, when she looked up to the stormy sky once more, when Zelda remembered something actually quite important.

"…But it had been a clear sky before…!?" a sudden crack of thunder in the air caused the princess to jump back. Those weren't normal clouds in the air, not with the way they swirled around ominously. Naturally, her first instinct was to pull out the Ancient Crossbow, aiming it upwards towards the sky, only to pull back – there was nothing to shoot, they were clouds.

But then those very same clouds suddenly shot towards the princess, Zelda unable to move away in time to avoid being sucked into the dark fog. It was a choking sensation, surrounded seemingly by poison and unable to move her limbs. By the time that the other teachers managed to make their way around the various fleeing students and caught a glimpse of the chaotic force in the air, it had already fled far from Beacon, carrying the Princess along for the ride.

"Port, Oobleck, take a bullhead and move after it immediately. We need to ensure her safety at all times!" Ozpin barked out, the two teachers giving the briefest of nods before they were rushing out towards the docking area, a foul expression upon Ozpin's face. "So, yet another has decided to reveal itself… I fear just what this one is capable of if it actually managed to make it onto Beacon grounds without us noticing."

* * *

" _Everyone! If you can hear me, we need back-"_

" _HEEEELLLLP! Big robot! And it's big! Really big! That Torchwick guy is in it! But not, like, it didn't eat him; he's, like, controlling it or something!"_

Well, that was a reassuring call.

Yang looked up from her scroll as Link called out his bike, Neptune once more hesitantly getting onto the back of Bumblebee. It was clear that Blake and Sun were out of their league; now all they needed was a location.

" _HURRYYYY!"_ and then the ground was trembling, a blur of black and yellow before a hulking monster of a machine stomped down the streets, the sounds of relentless guns trying their hardest to shut them down.

Well, that was easy.

Two motorbikes roared into action, a small tut escaping Link as he followed their path. Of course Blake and Sun would take it off the empty road and onto one full of traffic, because the safety of others clearly didn't matter! The robot followed after without hesitation, arms swinging to toss aside any unfortunate vehicle that just so happened to be in its path. If they wanted to get down there though, they would have to jump.

"Oh. Oh no, you are not going to-!" Neptune started, only to feel a gust of wind surrounding them as they reached max speed. Just before they leapt, the last thing Neptune saw before he closed his eyes was Link actually having the audacity to leap into the air, spinning the Master Cycle Zero beneath him like a stunk racer, a bright smile upon his face.

He had taken this thing off _mountains_. A little height between roads wasn't going to do anything.

Yang let out a cry of joy as she swerved around the incoming cars, horns blaring until they got slammed aside by the giant robot. Link hated to think that way, but right now, those weren't people. They were obstacles in their way and they had to be avoided, he couldn't save all of them if he wanted to stop this robot from hurting even more. If he strained his eyes, he could just make out Blake and Sun leaping from car top to car top, just vaguely managing to maintain their distance advantage, but the robot was catching up.

"We need to slow it down!" Yang called over the chaotic mess of noise, Neptune reaching for his weapon before a giant cluster of cars decided to suddenly fly in their direction. Quite literally fly, for the mighty power of the robot before them had sent them high into the sky, falling just where they were driving _conveniently enough._ Link would let them take the safe… the safer route below; with the Master Cycle Zero dissolving beneath him, the knight leapt onto one of the flying cars, a silent apology as he used it to jump even high to the next one until he was at the peak of the chaos, time seemingly slowing down as he pulled out the Lynel bow.

This was on the scale of a guardian; incredibly fast, incredibly strong and with a large amount of firepower that could kill about ten men in a single second. The only difference was that this one had a human inside controlling it, it wasn't just going to be the dumb machine whose only answer was to fire its laser. Notch an explosive arrow, pull back, release, repeat. Each time, an explosive arrow triplicating until there was a veritable wall of the projectiles launching themselves towards the robot. The powers of dust had made it easy to replicate them, perhaps even enhancing their power as the light of their explosions lit up the night sky, sending the giant hulk of metal tumbling off the edge of the road onto the next one beneath, thankfully more devoid of cars.

But it didn't fall easily, a barrage of rocket missiles heading in their direction., the protection of a Goron prevented Link from being injured, but the same couldn't be said for the reunited Sun and Neptune, the blows sending them flying in the opposite direction. Until they could recover, it was just up to Link and Team RWBY, Ruby and Weiss jumping down from wherever they had been to arrive.

"Freezer burn!" What? Link had no idea what it meant, but he didn't need to, for as soon as Ruby called out the word, both she and Blake zoomed backwards to allow Weiss to stab Myrtenaster into the ground, a giant circle of ice appearing. A punch from Ember Celica soon had the area filled with smoke, Link suddenly feeling a lot more approving of their methods; rather than a direct attack, they had decided to form a smokescreen to work in, the ice particles in the air also serving to diffract the lasers the robot was using to track them.

"Checkmate! And Link!" oh, now he was being commanded by a young girl. Wasn't he the captain of the royal knights, a well-experienced warrior who had managed to take down a great evil that had plagued the world for hundreds of years? Meh, might as well for the fun.

Just narrowly dodging the arm that swung in his direction as he approached allowed Link to Rapidly slash away at the legs alongside Blake, each attack from the Faunus seemingly causing the girl to melt away – no, clones, each one formed making an individual attack so that the strikes could be put out faster. With Weiss forming one of her glyphs beneath them, it was simple enough to zoom backwards, the Hylian shield and Blake's agility meaning that dodging or parrying the missiles sent in retaliation was simple.

"Ladybug! Um… Smash and Slash!" Well, he was meant to be slash and the most smash-y one out of them? As Ruby and Blake began rapidly running between the legs, the black and red blurs even managing to cut off one of the guns that had been relentlessly shooting at them, Link and Yang pulled themselves onto the back, alarms blaring as they repeatedly shot their slugs and stabbed the Master Sword into the back of the metal beast. At least until it suddenly began to stride backwards, Link and Yang unprepared for when they suddenly smashed through a trio of support beams for the roads above them.

Groggily, they arose, Yang's hair aglow with energy and her eyes burning red… only for their attention to be diverted to the giant cloud of darkness that swarmed past them, the pair rolling out of the way only to find it barrelling back towards them. Even just the smallest encounter with it caused Link to gag; it was like ingesting pure poison for the briefest of moments and he could live happily without it ever happening again.

It didn't discriminate about who it attacked; Ruby was forced to become little more than rose petals as she dashed away when the mass of darkness tried to attack her, Weiss only managing to avoid it through use of a glyph styled after a clock. All too quickly however, the mas started to gain form, link's fear realised. No longer was this just a cloud; instead, huge wings began to spread out, gaining dreaded orange powerlines through their armour. An only partially humanoid being gradually began to take form, a crude mishmash of cybernetic enhancements and pure unfiltered malice while where the legs should've been, huge bird-like talons took their place complete with blue energy forming the claws. Giant claws slowly formed out of the same energy, barely a single swipe from them needed to cleave the robot in half, Torchwick running for his life from the creature as his very body shattered like glass along with the appearance of a pink, brown and white dressed girl. That wasn't the important part, however,

What was important was the sudden arrival of a second cloud, taking on the same appearance. _With Zelda in its hands_.

"Oh, dear. Perhaps this battle may be fiercer than we first anticipated!" the voice of Port called out, both he and Doctor Oobleck arriving on the scene with their weapons primed to battle. "This foul creature managed to make it onto the boundaries of Beacon, we would be fools if we didn't give it the rightful punishment it deserves!"

"I've never seen anything like it, it's an incredible discovery! Perhaps maybe even the only thing of its kind, the Grimm are known to have bodies that reject any kind of matter foreign to their bodies, yet these seem to bear a combination of organic and manmade components! Fascinating!" Oobleck added, pushing back his glasses as he watched the two beasts get used to their proper bodies, Zelda trying her best to break free from the iron grip she was being held in.

Focus. This wasn't just any old Grimm. This was… _these are_ Blight Ganons, some of the most horrible monsters that could ever be imagined.

And as soon as Link said that, the two beasts gave a horrific roar, launching towards one another as they briefly became one, only to then split once more until _three stood before them._

Oh, no, just one Blight Ganon. And apparently, it could _clone itself._


	11. Poison's power

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On fighting and feathers.

One of the first thoughts that came to Link's mind was that this was remarkably quick for a second Blight. While there had been a certain irremovable pressure to defeat all of the Blights as fast as possible to remove the taint of the darkness from the ruined fields of Hyrule, there had still been time for reprieve and training; when he had first learned of just how much might a Blight held in comparison to his weakened self, a far larger priority had been placed on locating the shrines that would restore his body and sourcing the most efficient equipment to wield. That had taken a fairly significant amount of time, but the period between this Blight and the one they had fought before had been much shorter.

And perhaps that made sense. After all, this was different completely to how the Blights functioned before; during the fall of Hyrule, the purpose of the Blights was to take control of the Divine Beasts by vanquishing those who were positioned to pilot them and then fall dormant to ensure no hero may ever regain control. It meant that they were beyond the havoc the caused upon their selected area of Hyrule, there were left rather unaware of the rest of the land, leaving Link a relatively ample period with which to deal with them (though it did admittedly leave a couple of the different colonies uncomfortably close to extinction). Here, however, there were no Divine Beasts to conquer; they were designed purely to kill any who stand in their way and spread darkness upon the new land they appeared on and that meant heading directly to him.

One of his second thoughts was, ouch.

Turning his thoughts away from the less important of realisations, the knight quickly raised his sword to bat aside the fierce claws, the sparks flying serving to disguise the thrust forward from the Master Sword. The glowing tip missed by the smallest of margins, a mere centimetre of air meaning that the Blight remained undamaged and could fly backwards, a small roar coming from the malice born monster as it began to spin rapidly. There was only time for a moment of confusion before Link was forced to dodge to the side, a drill formed of darkness barrelling by him and sending link hurtling into one of the pillars holding up the roads above. If it weren't for the quick thinking that allowed Link to land sideways upon the concrete, he may have been a Hylian pancake.

Unrelenting, the drill continued forward, the darkness piercing quite literally into another of the Blights. Both Port and Oobleck stepped back as the beasts committed a seemingly suicidal attack, only to be blasted by a wave of shadow as the two formed a single being. Only one punch was needed to see just how powerful they were together, the combined force of a burning flamethrower born of a thermos and a blunderbuss wielded like an axe proving unable to overcome the attack, leading to the two teachers rolling back.

That wasn't to say they were out of the fight at all though; they did not become some of the best teachers that beacon had ever grace its halls without having at least some skills handling that which appeared to greatly outclass them. The flames from a thermos taunted them towards Oobleck, the Doctor giving a small grin as he began to run with the Blight upon his back. The grin wasn't mirrored by his fellow teacher as Port deftly flipped his weapon in his hand, the handle of an axe doubling as a blunderbuss' barrel, the shots firing to little effect. Even then, some of them didn't even hit, for the Blight separated once more into two so the bullets would slip right between the newly formed gap. Quick defensive positions prevented Oobleck from facing a terrible fate, using the arms of the Blights as springboards to leap over them and back towards Port with a physical strike to the back of one monster's head.

"It appears that our weapons are useless! Not that we have much else to use." The green-haired man remarked, not even the rush of battle causing him to lose the signature speed of movement and speech he was known for. "And if we have such an effect, I highly doubt the others are faring any better! Let us assist our students!"

"Of course!" Port's answer was slightly drowned out by the yell of Yang as she dug her feet into the back of the Blight, quite literally sinking in temporarily. What little disgust she would've felt in that situation was ignored in favour for a method that had served well in many of the battles she had fought in before; with a wild roar, her two gauntlets were firing all that they had into the Blight's hand, the beats shaking like mad to shake off the annoying flee upon it. It meant that its attention was drawn away from Blake, the Faunus slicing at great speeds with Gambol Shroud. It was an impressive show of teamwork, Yang eventually freeing her feet enough to kick off to avoid the blur of red that flew past her, a white Glyph beneath her feet having launched her at far higher speeds than she would naturally be able to achieve so that the blade of Crescent Rose could take off his head in a manoeuvre that felt somewhat familiar. "But perhaps they just may be alright. What solid teamwork!"

No, that wouldn't be enough.

"Ah, young Link. What do you mean?" Port asked around trying to dodge the fevered swipes of the twin monsters that still chose the professors and Link as their targets. All the knight had to do was let a Goron's protection surround him as he stood before Oobleck and Port to give them enough time to glance to the side for the smallest amount of time, the Blight's darkness unable to penetrate the shield. It was enough time to watch Ruby's scythe cut through the malice that made up the Blight's neck, the black-haired girl giving a small smirk as she landed with a flourish of her oversized weapon, only for that smile to fall when she saw Weiss swallowed in a cloud of darkness formed by the Blight, her teammates crying out. "Miss Schnee!"

* * *

Darkness. Why was it so dark? Weiss' hands came to her throat; the darkness surrounding her was choking, quite literally and she could already feel her arms become heavy. Was this what it was like to die?

No, it wasn't possible. She couldn't be dying, not when she still had so much left to prove. Not when her remembrance would only be the heiress of the Schnee Company who chased after something beyond her capability. No matter what she had to do, Weiss had to find a way out, her determination growing by the minute as she tried to wrestle herself free from the darkness that surrounded her. The only issue was that it was like being stuck in the depths of the ocean; no matter how much the white-dressed girl threw herself about, there was nothing she could do to escape the crushing pressure that was growing by the second.

_**"H** _ _**eY.** _ _**wHaT aRe** YoU dOiNhg **He**_ **Re** _**?"** _

Weiss' eyes widened. Was that a voice? Where could it possibly have come from? Though she lacked any real direction, the girl pushed forward – without any friends or even Myrtenaster at her side, she felt lonelier than ever before and so Weiss latched onto what she assumed was the origin of the voice, pushing forward with as much strength as she could muster in a rapidly weakening body. Perhaps it was a hallucination brought on by her mind, but she could've sworn that she saw the smallest glimpse of light the longer she carried on for.

 _ **"YoU d**_ **On'T bElO** nG iN a D _iNgY pLaCe lIkE T **hIs."**_

She had no idea what this place _was_ ; all Weiss could remember was being struck by the attack that came from the enemy and then she was in this strange dark realm. With a shake of her head, Weiss carried on pushing forward, logic trying its best to return to the forefront of her mind. As long as she was still able to have thoughts and could continue to follow the voice, then she was still alive. The slightest glimmer of light that she had noticed before was definitely there now, gradually growing in size the more Weiss tried to move towards it, only for her movements to pause as she once more felt all of her breath leave her lungs. Suddenly, that light appeared to be further away than ever.

 _ **"** ThAt **'S tHe** **sPiRiT. yO** **u**_ CaN mAk _ **E It."**_

Absolutely! Weiss Schnee never quits and her record would _not_ be broken on this day! With all the might she could call upon, her form suddenly changed from a dying man's last movements into something far more elegant, her strokes holding far more power behind them. Her lungs continued to burn, the energy continued to sap from her body, but still did the heiress continue, her goal coming closer and closer to her reach. It seemed to dance just beyond her fingertips, the light becoming clearer, yet still so far away. Where effort was once required to move her, Weiss suddenly realised that no longer did she need to push herself forward, for some strange force was sucking her inward. No longer was it that the heiress was pushing through the darkness, but instead seemingly falling towards the light with no way to control her movements and no parachute to save her fall.

"WElL, I Ne _VeR kNeW_ yOu CoU **lD GeT sWAlLoWeD By ThE DaRk** NeSs LiK **e tHaT."**

 _ **"QuI**_ **tE Fr** _ **An** KlY, I'D SaY iT's A _mIr _AcLe yOu_ _'_ _ **Re A**_ _ **lIvE**_ _ **."**_

 _ **"BuT**_ **yOu ArE f** RiEnDs Wi _Th LiNk. Co_ NsId **ErInG w** **Ho** _ **He Is, I'm NoT sUrPrIsEd."**_

"By the way, brace yourself."

* * *

"Urgh…" was the only sound that escaped Weiss as she picked herself off the cold hard floor, hardly the image of grace that she worked to present to the world. None of that mattered at the moment however as she recalled just what she was forced to go through, trying her best to regain her bearing as fast as possible. A quick brush of her side caused the quietest curse to pass through her lips; Myrtenaster was nowhere to be seen and that meant she was mostly defenceless. "Okay Weiss, don't freak out. Just figure out where you are and then you can try and make your way home."

"Trust me, home is pretty far away right now." The white-haired girl let out a small gasp at what she saw suddenly fly down before her; a cross between human and avian, dark navy and white feathers covering the entire creature's body. A blue scarf sat just above the creature's body armour, the same colour as the tunic that link could most often be seen wearing, though like rarely if ever held such a cocky smile. "Besides, even if you were planning to find your way anywhere… you're going to have to do some climbing."

At the avian's gesture, Weiss brought herself to the edge of the platform she was stood upon; while it was pretty clear that she was at a high altitude, only one second was needed before Weiss' eyes suddenly grew far wider. She was not stood upon a proper building as she had initially believed, but a massive bird-like construction soaring through the sky without any issue. From her position, it was a struggle to take everything in, the whole world beneath her as they flew through the air.

"But… How did I get here?" Weiss questioned aloud, turning back to the only other person that seemed to exist upon the mechanical beast's back. She barely gave him any attention however, too lost within her thoughts as she began to ramble. "I was hit by that… _thing's_ attack and then I was surrounded in darkness… a teleportation technique? No, it didn't demonstrate anything like it during combat. It had a cloning ability and the ability to become a shroud of darkness."

"Got to say, I'm not exactly jealous of your situation. None of those foul things showed skills like that when we fought." Weiss was broken out of her thoughts by the avian's remark, the term 'foul things' being spat out with as much animosity as one could ever hope to muster. "Blights – ha! The only blight on my perfect record, all because I let myself get careless. If it weren't for Link, then my spirit would still be stuck inside Vah Medoh under the control of that goddesses damned Windblight Ganon. I wouldn't wish that on any world, not when even someone on my skill level wasn't able to do a thing. At least you have Link on your side."

"You know who Link is?" Weiss questioned, unable to hold back her curiosity. The logical side of her brain was yelling at her that a species like the one before her was impossible to have remained undiscovered if they were sentient and that a giant bird construction like the one they were flying on would require far more power than was considered reasonable, but it all seemed… surprisingly familiar. After all, Link spoke of the world they would never hope to see, a world free of the Grimm where multiple different species lived in peaceful cooperation unlike the rife tension between Faunus and humanity. If this was what he was talking about, then it made sense that some of them would know about Link and maybe she'd be able to get some more context on the still rather mysterious knight.

"Of course I know about Link, who doesn't in this place?" the avian remarked with a scoff. "The man who defeated the Calamity after a one hundred years' reign. Course, it would've been nice if he could've done it the first time around, but I suppose that is a bit unreasonable. First time I laid my eyes on him, he was barely anything; sure, he had the skill to swing a sharp piece of metal about, but he lacked any real ability that made him special; out of all of the species, Hylians were the most mundane and yet he had been chosen as the main champion. Then he just had to go and take a nap and my spirit was left in this little thing until he freed it and finally managed to defeat the Calamity."

There it was again; the mention of his spirit. Years' worth of training to pick apart particular speech patterns and vocabulary usage had the heiress immediately questioning why the avian would say such a thing, only for her body to suddenly feel far lighter than it ever had before. Not lighter as in Weiss was able to move more easily; without any sort of notice, Weiss was suddenly rising into the air with no control over her body, looking down upon a smirking avian as he tauntingly waved his arm… wing… thing.

"Sorry, but that information isn't going to be so easily given, you'll have to ask Link if you want to know more." He called tauntingly as Weiss slowly began to disappear, the world around her fading away like a memory. "Oh, and make sure to pass on a little message for me."

"Tell him that there is more in his heart than he knows."

* * *

"Weiss? Weiss, you're awake!" when Weiss opened her eyes once more, it was to a land far more familiar to her; the same roads upon which they had been battling the paladin and the Blights. Her team had gathered around her in concern, the two teachers holding back, yet awkwardly edging around while Link… the blond was clenching his forehead, an indescribably amount of anger on his face as the Master Sword was stabbed deep into the ground, causing splinters in the tarmac. As soon as Weiss pulled herself together, a bright smile appeared on Ruby's face, the air forced out of the Weiss' lungs as she was caught in a massive hug. "Thank goodness, we thought you'd be stuck in a coma as Blake had been! How do you feel?"

"I…" how was she meant to put her experience into words? It was insanity, most likely a hallucination brought on by a pain addled mind that left far more questions than it seemed to answer. Instead, Weiss simply decided on gently running her hands down her body, giving a small hum as she did so. "I think I am fine, though I'll probably head to the infirmary once we return to Beacon. More importantly, Link appears far worse than I am and… where's Zelda?"

There were awkward looks all around, Weiss only realising moments later what a foolish question she had asked with how much anguish Link appeared to be in. the two professors that had been there were of no assistance; there was nothing they could've said that would've abated the sadness of the Hylian as he slowly stood from his kneeling position, the Master Sword helping.

The Blight took her…

"Link. Do not push yourself." Port remarked, only for Link to firmly shake his head.

This wasn't something that could just be pushed aside for later. The Blight had taken Zelda and even a second wasted waiting now that Weiss was proven to be in relatively good heath was a second closer to the Blight ending Zelda. It was now or never.

"Link, I understand what you are feeling, but you must show precaution!" Dr Oobleck's warning would go unheeded however as the Sheikah slate brought forth the Master Cycle Zero, Link immediately placing himself upon the motorcycle and zooming off into the distance before any chase could be made. Weiss' first reaction was to go after him, to try and get some answers as well as assist, only for the doctor to immediately position himself before her. "Unfortunately Miss Weiss, I fear we may only be a hindrance at the moment. Out of all of us, only Link has demonstrated any capacity to even damage those creatures; it was only its escape with Zelda that means we stand here not in combat. For now, we must return to treat you and more importantly, learn just what you were doing here.

Even though it may not have been the best of times, Ruby let out a small moan of defeat. She was kind of hoping they would forget about that part.

* * *

Link let out a roar of frustration as the Master cycle slowly ground to a halt, the lights within the motorcycle dying down; it wasn't as if the Hylian didn't have a vast supply of items which he could use to refuel, especially considering that it was an engine that could turn anything thrown into it into a suitable power source, but it was too late. No matter how fast he refilled the engine and got back onto the road, Link would be chasing a dead end, his princess was lost for now with no clues as to where the Blight might have disappeared to.

What was he meant to do? It wasn't as if he could waste too much time trying to search fruitlessly, but the Blight had full movement to go anywhere it desired and searching the entirety of Remnant would require far too much effort. Kicking the side of the Master Cycle Zero, Link huffed as he watched the vehicle disappear into the blue particles from which it originated. He was at a loss and he knew it well.

Link didn't even know where he was at the moment. So focused had he been on chasing down any remnant of the Blight in the hope that it would lead the knight to Zelda that he took little care to acknowledge any of the landmarks that would allow him to successfully find his way back to Beacon. All he knew was that he was lost in the back alleys that were large enough to allow his bike to fit in, falling to his knees as a fist slammed against the cold concrete below. It was the first moment when Link regretted passing the trial of the sword which had powered up his most powerful weapon against the darkness; if it were still in its underpowered form, then at least it would only glow when in the presence of darkness and he would at least be able to have an idea if he was getting any closer. Now, with its full power permanently on display, it was useless as a tracking tool, not that it had ever been intended for that purpose.

" _Link. Link, focus upon my voice."_

The Master Sword suddenly took on a defensive position as the Hylian's eyes scanned the area around him; no one around had spoken, meaning that the voice could've only come from within. It would certainly explain the second of pain that occurred when the voice spoke up. It would take a second before he realised that this was not the first time this had occurred.

" _My powers return strong, though slowly. It is why the effect of my communication with you has caused less pain on your behalf."_ The mysterious speaker continued, Link only hesitantly placing the Master Sword back within its sheathe as he looked to the sky above him. _"You have found yourself in an unsurpassable situation and while my powers may not have fully returned to me, I may still do this. Please, call upon your special rune."_

While all of the runes were all special in their way, it was pretty clear that there was only one rune that the voice could be referring to. Holding the Sheikah slate forward, a circle of light appeared upon the ground, a momentary pause before the light blinked away. In its place, a sudden opening in the air had Link falling back; the fruits and vegetables that would normally be produced by the amiibo rune fell and the blond quickly gathered them up, the saddle of a re-summoned Master Cycle Zero sliding back to accept the new fuel supply. It was the treasure chest that most captured Link's attention though, cautiously opening it to find… a bottle, glowing with the same colours as the Sheikah slate. A quick shake revealed that it was not an aspect of the bottle itself, but the liquid held within, the bottle fitting in Link's palm with the blue swirling around.

What was he meant to do with a bottle?

" _Do you recall when you first met the first of the Blights?"_

Well, not really…

But then Link's eyes widened – yes he did. While he was in the meeting with Zelda and Ozpin, just before Ironwood showed where the Blight had been residing. It had spoken of unknown data compatible with the Sheikah Slate, the slate itself suddenly beeping as soon as the memory came forth.

" _It has taken some time, but I've finally managed to recall enough of my powers to implement a new rune, a rune that will help you defeat that Blight."_ The voice solemnly declared. _"All you need to do is pour the liquid within that bottle onto the screen of the Sheikah slate. Then, you will receive my gift."_

Well, they were easy enough instructions to follow and so Link, though a bit hesitant about pouring liquids directly onto the Sheikah slate, let the liquid within the intricate little bottle flow out onto the device. It wouldn't be the first time he had seen such a process occur – the whole process of getting runes and maps required so much information distilled down into a solid form that would be absorbed by the Sheikah slate and there had never been a more satisfying feeling than facing the tribulations that were the towers and watching as an entire piece of the world was revealed to Link as the map was reproduced. Usually, it would just be one drop, yet not in this situation.

A single drop began to swirl upon the face of the Sheikah slate, dancing like of the may fairies that Link had come across in his journey. As more and more drops fell, so too did they begin to swirl and slide across the screen, a gradually more intricate design slowly beginning to take form upon it. It was a magnificent thing to behold, a small amount of disappointment appearing in Link as the bottle quickly ran dry. As soon as it did, however, the swirling drops upon the screen finally halted in their movements, forming a circle of encompassed by two crescents. The blue momentarily became forest green before quite literally sinking into the Sheikah slate, the screen unsure how to react as it went somewhat crazy for a second before finally settling on showing off a completely new icon bearing the same symbol.

Calling upon its power had a field of similar colour suddenly tint his vision, nought seeming to change at first. It was only when Link looked down upon his body when he saw the smallest traces of some sort of substance glowing under the light of the rune's analysis; that meant there was something to interact with. Making sure not to let the substance touch his body, Link brought his tunic closer to himself, turning off the rune's power to see barely anything there, only to suddenly get a whiff of something disgusting – poison. Reactivating the rune and focusing its power onto the foul stuff, Link sighed in relief as it completely disappeared, leaving him completely clean.

" _A rune that allows you to remove purify poisons; this is what will allow you to truly defeat that creature. While the remnants of light protect the goddesses' chosen, the same protections have not been granted to the others._ " The voice explained, Link pausing in confusion. Was that meant to be Zelda?

But wait, when was there an opportunity for him to get poison on himself? There hadn't been any signs of poisoning at all during the battle with the Blight… right?

" _What could be construed as darkness is truly a unique form of poison; that Blight has covered its body entirely in poison, which is why your weapons seem to sink in deeper than it usually would. While you were fortunate enough to not have any skin contact with the poison, your friends were not so lucky. The girl of fire will feel its effects soon enough if you do not remove it from her system and it is only through a soul's assistance that the girl of ice did not fall victim to it as well. When the blight became pure poison, the girl of ice was not meant to survive."_ Girl of ice and fire…was that meant to be Weiss and Yang? That would explain the minor amount of sinking that yang did when she landed upon the Blight's back… while Weiss was able to be purified through… some power that link did not yet fully understand, Yang hadn't received such treatment and thus was still fully at risk. There was no time to waste then. _"My time to talk is running out. Use the rune to seek where poison lays, remove the poisonous barrier that prevents you from succeeding and defeat the Blight. Most all of my champion… beware the consequences."_

The voice cut out, Link immediately hopping onto the Master Cycle Zero and heading back in the direction he came in at max speed. There was someone's life at risk now and he couldn't waste any time to question what the voice was. It hadn't done anything malign before, there was no reason to doubt it now.

All he had to do was make sure that he made it back in time, who knew how much he had left?

* * *

"Whoa there Weiss cream, steady," Yang muttered as she held the girl's arm over her shoulder. It had been easy enough to get Weiss back to a bullhead thanks to Bumblebee being more than capable of carrying two people, but motorcycles and similar vehicles were not allowed to be driven on school grounds. "Gave us all a real scare back then, getting hit by that attack. I'm surprised you're looking this good, to be honest."

"I just need to get my strength back, I think I'll be mostly fine." The heiress remarked. "Before coming to Beacon, I had a bit more tutelage when it came to injury assessment than would typically be taught in a preparatory school. There's nothing remarkable to note, so the only issues that could arise would be something that only a trained professional would be able to deduce."

"Sure, sure, whatever; sorry I don't have that much money to throw about." The blonde answered teasingly, only for her statement to fade away into a series of coughs. Team RWBY would've naturally assumed it to be simple fatigue that came with an extensive period of combat – tiredness was something to be expected when you were forced to expend so much energy to defend themselves and that lead to a weakened immune system where little things such as coughs could pop up more easily. However, it was also Yang they were talking about, one of the toughest girls that one could find at Beacon; even when it came to the subject of illness, it was very rare to see Yang face an ailment. That alarm only grew more when the coughs continued for far longer than could be considered healthy, any time the blonde trying to speak up being ruined by a moment of choking.

"Here, I've got some water." Blake quickly moved, the bottle pushed into Yang's hand. Unable to properly talk, Yang merely gave a thumbs up before downing the entire bottle in one, a sigh of relief passing through her lips as she felt the cool liquid pass down her throat. Well, until it ultimately proved useless and the coughs continued unabated. "Yeah, that's not natural. Infirmary, now."

Fortunately, it wasn't all that difficult to make their way to the infirmary, Yang still stuck in her coughs meaning that the nurses on standby quickly responded with nought else to do until the next batch of victims of combat class arrived, bringing Yang over to a nearby bed.

"Irritation within the throat, a higher temperature than expected…" the nurse listed off and in that situation, you wouldn't be mistaken to assume that Yang had only contracted some sort of simple common illness. However, it was the odd look of the nurse that had them team still tense, the fact that it was meant to be Weiss who was going to be examined being completely lost in the face of Yang's distress. "Something of this severity though… how long has she been like this? Surely to get to this level of irritation, treatment would've had to be put off for a good period."

"I'm afraid that she only seemed to attain this illness mere moments after our return from a little… expedition." Port answered, the old man turning slightly to the girls under his care – they were in no hurry to correct him, considering what they were doing wasn't exactly the most rule-abiding of actions. "We were in a fairly tough battle, but there was no sign of irritation in Miss Xiao-Long at all from what I've been able to grasp."

That was when the eagle-eyed professor (a rather strange aspect of the old man considering the size of his eyebrows made it seem as if he had never once opened his eyes) suddenly noticed a strange spot, Oobleck's eyes widening behind his glasses when he saw his friend begin to move.

"Peter, I hardly think now is the time to be –" but then the sock and boot came down to reveal something far more hideous than anything Team RWBY had ever seen save for the Grimm themselves. A horrible mess of purple and black marring the delicate skin beneath, like a spider's web crawling about and sinking into her flesh. One look was all that was needed before the nurses were hurrying away into her stores, all sorts of different chemicals rapidly pulled out and systematically being prepared for Yang's consumption. "Poison, most likely transferred through physical contact… Nurse, please prepare several temporary gowns. Everyone, remove your clothes instantly!"

Under any other circumstance, it would've been the most awkward declaration to hear from someone like Oobleck, who wasn't exactly the best looking man, but the training given to them in their survival courses immediately kicked in; if there was any potential for their body to come into contact with poison due to their clothes, the fastest and easiest way to ensure they weren't affected was to discard the offending item. As soon as gowns were offered to them, the others were quickly changed, the clothes isolated to be screened for traces of the poison as the returned to the bedside of Yang. The good news was that the coughs plaguing her had thankfully and suddenly disappeared. The bad news was that the blonde now looked far more tired than she had before.

"Fast-acting, and there doesn't seem to be any reaction to the antidotes…" the nurse muttered as she continued to administer what she could – but the list was growing woefully thin. "Whatever this poison is, it appears to be something that we haven't come into contact with before. Fortunately, if there are any traces of the poison upon your clothing, we'll be able to eventually create a new antidote to it. The only issue is, we have no idea how long that may take, which also means we have no idea if it will be ready in time for Miss Xiao-Long."

"Is there really nothing else!?" Ruby questioned, her grip upon the side of the bed tightening as she looked upon her sister. For most of Ruby's life, Yang had been the undefeatable pillar of protection; whenever the black-haired girl had come across any sort of struggle that was beyond her powers, Yang had always been there to be a protective barrier. Now, her sister was unable to do anything and there was nothing within Ruby's power that she could do to return the favour. "There has to be something, anything that can at least delay it!"

"Ruby, stop it," Weiss muttered, pulling her leader back so she could properly whisper in her ear despite the younger girl's struggles. "That thing came from a different world, meaning there's a pretty good chance that the poison it produces would never be found in Remnant normally. That means there really isn't anything we can do until they make something for it or Link has anything and he's off trying to find Zelda. You'll just have to wait."

"But…"

"Miss Rose, you'll find that there are many situations where we cannot do anymore. Even if it means leaving our loved ones in the hands of another, you must trust the fact that they are far more trained in this field than you will ever hope to be as a huntress." Professor Port stated, having not heard the words that Weiss was whispering. "There are other things we must be doing at the moment, namely providing a report to the headmaster of how this little excursion has unfolded. Miss Schnee, please remain alongside Yang and have yourself checked out before coming to the headmaster's office. Now, to find new clothes and then Headmaster Ozpin."

With a gentle nod, Weiss watched as the others shuffled out, Ruby far more hesitantly than the rest, as the door slammed shut, nought but the sound of the nurse working filling the gaping silence that remained.

This was not how she expected things to go.


	12. Shot through the heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Of defeats and death.

"…I see. Truly quite troubling." Ozpin muttered as he pushed his hands together, Oobleck standing back after a rapid report as Glynda mulled over his words. "When those who wish to be students volunteer themselves to take part in our educational course, they are made fully aware of their mortality from the very moment they are launched off the pads to begin their examination. However, seeing one of those under my banner face such a torturous fate, it feels wrong."

"It's an example of Miss Xiao-Long's weakness; her dependence on close to mid-range combat made her the most likely to be hit in combat, especially with a semblance that benefits from direct attack," Glynda muttered, though not with the typical strictness to her demeanour that she was so well known for; no matter how authoritative she held herself in front of her students, there was no time for such a manner when one of those same students' life was on the line. "If your hypothesis is correct and it is direct contact with that… _thing_ that caused the poison's effects, then it was inevitable that Miss Xiao-Long would take some of it onto her body."

"Greetings. I have returned from the infirmary." Port announced, also lacking the typical bluster that was found in his words. Seating himself at the desk, the portly man quickly caught the cup that was pushed in his direction, a long drawn out sip helping him prepare for his next words. "While they have been able to take samples of the poison from our clothing, the initial belief is that producing an antidote will be difficult. With the speed at which young Miss Xiao-Long's ailments are progressing… there is potential for a situation where it cannot be prepared in time."

There was silence in the room at first – what was one meant to say in a situation like this? Considering the lack of poisonous Grimm that could be found, it was rare for a student to be faced with issues of poison at the school and while there was the potential for a larger range of antidotes to be found in the main hospitals of the kingdoms, the likelihood of them being able to find an answer either was remarkably low. At that point, all that was left to do was hope.

"So we do not know the whereabouts of Link either? If there was anyone who would be able to assist with an issue of another world, it would be someone from that world." Glynda questioned, both Port and Oobleck temporarily diverting their sight. It was enough to clue the blonde woman in that there was clearly something more to the report, but she had to hear it out loud. "You went to go and retrieve Zelda from the grasp of that monster. Were you or were you not successful?"

"…Zelda was still within the grip of the monster when it escaped and Link has been attempting to give chase. However, if she has come into contact with the poison as well, then it is highly likely…" Oobleck couldn't even finish that part of his sentence before he refused to continue. The silence returned in an even more stifling manner as anyone tried to find anything to say; Ozpin looked to his scroll, Glynda moved her eyes downward and the other two maintained their silence.

At least until they heard the roar of an engine approaching the school's port.

The large windows of Ozpin's office meant it was easy to tell that the bullhead was pushing its speed to the limits, approaching as fast as possible as blue tunic wearing warrior stood on top bracing for dear life. It wasn't the most conventional sight, far from it – the winds alone would surely blow away anyone foolish enough to ever attempt such a strange trick, but the sheer determination in the man's stance showed that there would be nothing that would move him. With as much speed as he could muster, Ozpin was moving towards his elevator, a shocked Glynda quickly composing herself and following.

Link himself wasn't able to think of anything beyond the immediate plans that were formulating in his head; first, he would have to deal with Yang and any others who may have come into contact with the poison and then he would go back into the kingdom. Surely there would be some trial to follow if the Blight's entire body had been covered with poison surely? He had just been fortunate enough to have found something that would be able to take him to Beacon, otherwise, he would've still been searching aimlessly to find his way back to where he came, a downfall of his lack of map upon the Sheikah Slate.

After scaling the side of a particularly tall building, it had been simple enough to call upon the gust of a Rito and soar high into the sky, flying to the spot where a lone bullhead rested – the last bullhead that was available to fly for the day. Of course, seeing a man come at you while holding on to a paraglider was certainly a sight not many expected to see in their lifetime, but the pilot had been helpful enough; as soon as he was told the (rather vague and altered the story that held no lies while telling very few truths) tale, it had been easy to earn a ride back to Beacon at the fast speed one was allowed to go in the airspace.

What wasn't perhaps quite so easily understood had been Link's desire to stand atop the vehicle as if it were some sort of normal platform and the pilot had been quick to explain just how badly it would end up. It had taken quite a bit of conversation before the pilot had been willing to allow such a deadly act to occur while he was at the controls, but there had simply been no changing Link's mind, an act that the pilot would soon come to question even more when he got relatively close to Beacon's port.

A sudden tremble forcing the bullhead to lower slightly had the pilot looking to his controls in confusion, only to see Link leaping forward with a tremendous amount of wind pushing him forward, only the cloth-covered frame keeping him in the air. It did mean however that much of the land in front of Beacon could be missed, link doing something that would've probably gotten him scolded at any other time.

He slipped right through one of the infirmary windows.

There had only been a brief moment to see Ozpin's confusion and Glynda's outright shock at such a move before he was forced to tuck into a roll, one of the nearby workers on standby letting out a small cry as Link rolled to a stop. There wasn't any time to give any sort of explanation, however, blue eyes scanning the room until they fell on an alarmed Weiss, who calmed down as soon as she properly recognised just who the blue cannonball that fell through the window was.

"Link?" Weiss attempted to speak up, only for the boy to silently pull out his Sheikah slate. No stranger to the odd abilities the device held, the heiress quickly stood aside as Link approached, unaware of the orange screen that temporarily appeared before his eyes, a small sound of disgust coming forth as his gaze landed upon the bedridden girl. "Yang, she… we had just come back from the fight and as soon as we made it towards Beacon, she suddenly had a coughing fit. It's only gotten worse and worse by the second, I've never seen a poison that worked this fast befo-!"

He knew. That was why he came with a cure.

At Link's reassurance, Weiss only momentarily calmed down, the small trembles and cautionary glances betraying her composure as she stepped aside to let Link properly check Yang's body. Even one glance with the power of his newest rune was enough to tell that she wasn't in good condition. Compared to how the fidgeting Weiss looked perfectly normal, Yang's body had several spider thin lines flowing through it, her form deathly still as a horrid purple colouration came over parts of her skin. When he first came across the poison, he had not expected it to act so rapidly... but it made sense.

After all, what was the malice if not poison? Formed from water sullied by the dark powers that the Calamity had unleashed upon the realm of Hyrule, even the smallest seconds of contact with the substance had been enough to make Link's head become distorted. The few times where he had prolonged exposure had been some of the worst situations Link had ever been unfortunate enough to experience, both mentally and physically. Surely, a creature who specialised in the act of poisoning would be able to take such a foul substance and malice and make it even more harming. With the way that it had been transferred onto Yang, it had entered her internal systems through the skin; it was not something that could easily be purged unless one just so happened to have the gift of a goddess on their side.

One activation of the power was enough to take away the glow that came from Yang's body, the Hylian switching off its power to see the blonde boxer's body gain the smallest amount of life to it. Her breathing became more regular and balanced and her skin lost a sliver of its purple colouration, but her eyes refused to open and not all of the effects would be so easily removed. While a poison could be purged, her body would still need to naturally recover from the physical damage caused by the poison. Still, she was safe – much more than could be said for someone else.

"You managed to… you managed to get rid of it." Weiss breathed in relief, unable to properly formulate any other words. There was no need to, for she instead chose the much more appropriate form of gratitude. While Link wasn't exactly averse to hugs, he certainly hadn't expected Weiss to suddenly grab him in one, awkwardly patting her back – if there was anyone in team RWBY that was going to hug him, he didn't think it would Weiss first. "I thought she was going to die. We went against school rules and we ended up with one of us nearly dead by poisoning; we never should've gon-!"

No, it was his fault. He had let them go when he shouldn't have and despite knowing that there was little they would be able to do, he hadn't told them to flee and allowed them to attack and untouchable enemy. If there was anyone who was going to take the blame, it was him.

Link held up his hand before Weiss could interrupt. After all, there was business that was more important as several people barrelling into the infirmary without caution. Seeing Link there had them breathing a sigh of relief, Ruby attaching herself with inhumane strength to Link's side when the knight spoke of how he had helped her sister. Unlike with Weiss' hug, it was far easier for Link to take Ruby's hug, gently rubbing her hair. After all, Ruby was younger than any other who had ever attended Beacon Academy and was still relatively innocent to the horrors of the world; the optimistic and idealistic view that the girl held didn't mesh well with a violent world and the threat of losing her sister was a harsh statement.

"While it is good to see you in relatively good health Link, I fear what the lack of Zelda's presence means," Ozpin remarked as he followed through the door at a more casual pace. "From what I've heard, this enemy is nothing like what we faced with the assistance of Ironwood – naturally, whatever assistance you were providing Goodwitch will be put on hold while you go to search for your princess."

This wasn't like when the Blight had first attacked; now, Link knew exactly how the beast tended to attack, had a way to at least trace the pathway that the Blight had taken and a way to neutralise the poison that covered the Blight's body. With the Master Sword in hand the blessings of the Goddesses behind him, there was no way that Link would fail this time.

"If that is what you believe. There is no time to be wasted. Please, leave." and Link did, though perhaps not the way that was expected. With Link's body floating away with the assistance of the paraglider, the headmaster turned his attention to the three girls that were trying their best to follow, a stern look having them freeze before they could even touch the windowsill. "And where do you girls think you're going? You've already proven that this is too much for you to handle; trying to jump in after a defeat that has one of your team incapacitated will only result in more pain."

"Wait, you expect Link to handle that thing on his own!? You can't be serious!" Ruby protested, immediately reaching for the handle of Crescent Rose as she looked out of the window. "All of us together wasn't able to beat it, but you expect Link to be able to do it without any help?"

"I would not underestimate his might. Combined with his desire to rescue the princess, I hold no fear." Ozpin calmly retorted, tapping his cane against the ground as he turned around. "After all, he has faced one of these horrific beasts before and from how he was able to so easily deal with the poison that plagued Miss Xiao-Long's body, I do not doubt he will be able to handle the creature with similar skill. However, if there is one thing that will cause his abilities to falter, it will be having to deal with others who are in danger and of no help. A true huntsman never gives up – but that doesn't mean they aren't aware of when it's wiser to allow others to take other. That is why, Miss Schnee, your and Miss Xiao-Long's duties in regards to the dance has been passed over to another team. Use this time to properly rest and recover."

It was clear that Blake wanted to argue more, but in the face of the headmaster's words, there was nothing the Faunus would be able to do. After all, the last time she disregarded the rules and roped everyone else into her concerns, it had resulted in… _this_. Therefore, it was with a drooping bow that Blake stepped out of the door, Weiss having to grab Ruby by the arm to get her to leave. At this point, all they could do was wait and hope.

* * *

…The traces were small, smaller than Link would've liked. The amount of focus it required to find the path drawn by the traces of poison meant that it was useless using the Master Cycle Zero unless he wanted to jump on and off every other second. Still, it was something to work with and that was all Link needed at this point.

The feeling was strange, having a rune's scanning field active for so long. Most of the time, Link already knew what he wanted to use magnesis or stasis or cryonis and so, the odd colouration and glowing would quickly fade as the rune took effect. With the antidote rune, a constant forest green field was flashing before his eyes, disappearing for a moment as he removed the poison from existence and returning soon after. So long as Link followed the path, there was no need to risk leaving the poison after all.

The knight wasn't even sure where he was at this point, a feeling that wasn't foreign at all. After letting Epona lead him along the paths of a ruined Hyrule, there were many times where he had to awkwardly drift about to get a better bearing on where he was. The sounds of people were growing distant and if there was anyone other than the shadiest who hung out in such a dark and depressing place, Link would've been surprised. A location like that was the perfect area for a Blight to survive and thrive.

It took a couple of hours of relentless searching until Link became wary, watching as the amount of poison steadily began to grow on the surroundings; that meant the Blight was being less cautious about its surroundings, therefore it found a place where it felt comfortable. There were no sources of lighting beyond Link's own, the green glow of the poison beneath the rune's power guiding his way around the trash and broken items skewed around the area. As for the occasional body that Link's foot connected with… well, the fact that they didn't respond to his accidental kicks spoke enough - all the Hylian could do was remove the poison from their bodies and place them in a more respectable position.

One body that he was happy to find though was a blonde-haired girl, resting upon the ground as if she were sleeping. Rushing over to Zelda, the Hylian breathed out a sigh of relief when he felt a weak pulse through her neck, quickly gazing at the copious amounts of poison in her system with a moment of amazement. Watching as the poison tried to take over his princess' body, only for a strange power to hold it off valiantly… even unconscious, Zelda had never given up hope and kept fighting until the very end and it was.

As soon as Link moved to remove the poison, however, the battle between light and dark within her suddenly grew to chaotic levels, a cry of pain escaping his princess as she suddenly was drawn into the air. Like a demented puppet, her hands were pulled out by clouds of venom, forming into a twisted beast that roared at the sight of the Master Sword. The knight tutted as the Blight tossed Zelda behind itself; the weak girl had served her purpose as bait and now, the hero could be destroyed.

The first thing that the Blight did was launch itself forward, a swirling cloud of darkness moving towards Link that the knight only just managed to dodge. Like a rampaging bull, the pure darkness rushed about, its angry snarls filling the air. It was clear what he had to do, but without his opponent staying still for a single moment, Link couldn't put the effect into place. If it weren't for the assistance of the Hylian shield and a Goron's protection, then he might've fallen victim to the poison, only a fraction of a millimetre preventing contact. As it was, however, that was more than enough for Link's instincts to kick in, the world seeming to slow down around him for a brief moment. It gave him ample time to properly aim the Sheikah slate in the direction of the monstrous being, an orange glow appearing in his vision before it found its target.

A roar of pain escaped the Blight as it suddenly found a portion of itself completely vanished, it's confusion causing it to slam face-first into the side of one of the nearby buildings. Link couldn't help it - a small snicker escaped the Hylian as he rushed over, brandishing the Master Sword as the sacred metal met tainted malice. Considering the pain it was forcing upon the princess, Link felt no regret when it came to punishing the Blight, holding back the blade until a neon glow took over it. The Blight, struggling to rise to its full height, soon found one last slash cutting at its body, charged with the kind of lightning that could be called upon by a Gerudo. Link had to cover his ears as the pained shriek cut through the air; such was the curse of having so sensitive ears.

It appeared that the assault had only enraged it, a dark mist coming off the Blight. That mist swirled at its side until it suddenly solidified, a perfect pair of clones soon standing by the Blight's side. With another monstrous roar, they all began to rotate, the mist that formed them covering their bodies once more as Link had to dodge _three_ poisonous missiles. Turns out, when you were in such a cramped space, having to avoid three ginormous clouds of poison was rather difficult, the gale of a Rito lifting Link high into the air to avoid one such Blight that barrelled through his last position. The only issue was, it left him completely exposed in the air, gravity's pull too slow to help him avoid the second cloud of poison that punched Link directly into a brick wall. That hit alone was enough to make Link feel as if he was moment's away from death, the Sheikah Slate doing its job of removing the poison while an admittedly copious amount of food entered his mouth. Not what someone would normally consider a typical method of healing, but it seemed to work for Link.

Immediately forced to roll away before all of his prior healing was completely undone, Link felt his brain move into overdrive. What was he going to do to deal with three Blights? No matter how difficult the Blights he had already faced had been, it had always consisted of a single duel; even Calamity Ganon himself had decided to face him alone, face on. If there was no way to either weaken the clones or get rid of them completely, then Link was never going to be able to properly line up a shot. Fortunately for the knight, a small flash of desperation filled his eyes and his eyes widened when his hand started to move of its own volition. The poison rune activated, one of the poisonous clouds heading towards him suddenly disappearing with a hiss.

What the…?

…That's it!

The Blight clones were made from the poison that surrounded the original's body! That was why it was so easy for them to pass through one another and reform – they were made from the same substance, the very same substance that Link could vanish with a single activation of his rune. All he had to do was try and activate it again and the other clone would disappear. That was how the other Blight, completely unaware of the realisation that Link had come to, found itself disappearing much like its counterpart, leaving only the original. Suddenly, the advantage it held seemed to melt away as fast as its clones did, the poisonous protection it had formed evaporating away once more and leaving it open to Link's assault from the Master Sword. A vicious smirk appeared on link's face as he once more called upon a Gerudo's lightning to strike the darkness; now that he knew all of the tricks the Blight had up its sleeves, there was nothing it could do. In the battle upon the roads, it had demonstrated no other abilities and save for the potential to fire a laser from its eye like its counterparts, which Link could already handle, there was little indication that it was hiding anything.

The amount of damage the Blight had taken was nearly too much for it to handle, the Malice-made monster reeling back with a screech as it scratched at its body. Its thrashings caused its attention to turn onto the downed princess it had been preventing the hero from rescuing, Link watching in confusion as its movements suddenly stopped and gained a purpose that wasn't normally found in Blights. That confusion in Link turned to shock as the Blight suddenly reached out, grabbing his beloved princess, the giant claws showing no care as what was undoubtedly blood began to seep from where the claws dug. That wasn't what upset Link so much.

It was the laser that fired without warning, carving a hole through the Princess as her body fell into the Hylian's hands.

Trembling hands caught the Princess as Link tried to understand what was happening. There was no way Zelda could've been killed, that was why he had come this far. He was the one who protected the Princess, he was the one who prevented such a terrible fate from ever coming about. No, there was no way the Princess could possibly be dead. Then he felt the blood that stained his fingers, and the lack of pulse that passed through her neck, and the way she did not respond no matter how much Link shook her. She had been killed, under his supervision.

A roar filled the air, one even more inhumane and wretched than anything the Blight's could hope to ever produce. With the light that fought it so earnestly defeated, there would be nothing that could stop the Blight and the one who spawned it – the darkness had triumphed over its hero. At least, until it took note of what the anguished hero was doing. Its plan had been to murder the light, extinguishing the holy power and demoralising its hero until it could no longer fight back. What the hero did was _not_ that.

Instead, that anger turned to a burning flame that flowed through link's veins, a righteous fury that blossomed into pure power. Literal fire of multiple colours burst through Link's body, his eyes taking on a golden hue as they tried to burn a hole through the Blight's body. The power felt familiar, extremely familiar – it was the same power that he had been able to call upon before, against a Nevermore and Deathstalker. Whereas that had been a gift through the amiibo rune, this was a power he had been able to conjure all by himself, not to the same extent, yet brought to a similar level through sheer anger. Link knew exactly what to do as he leapt up, the mystical energies propelling him far further than it normally ever would without a Rito's gale. With an ancient bow pulled back, blue energy forming an arrowhead charged with the same power that surrounded Link, the knight released the arrow directly into the Blight, a larger explosion than normally possible rocking the air until there wasn't a single trace of the foul creature left.

Link didn't care for the tainted heart that flew off into the distance, instead leaning down to embrace the fallen body of his beloved Princess. He had failed her, when his only job was to ensure her safety… would her father look down from his position in another world with disdain? The thought lingered within Link's mind as he let his tears fall, unaware of the different light that suddenly began to appear beside him.

This was unlike any other light, for it didn't grant any effects or strange powers to link at that moment. Instead, it began to swirl just as the dark poison had, steadily coming together until it took on the form of a beautiful aquatic young woman, she too taking to her knees as Link grieved their princess. With wine red hands gently resting upon the body and not a single word, the Zora slowly pushed her power forth, a power she had once only reserved for Link's usage, a power that could only be matched by the rare fairies themselves. It took a moment to kick in at first, the majority of the soothing energy being diverted to repairing the hole that was present within the princess' chest, but soon, Link finally awoke to his senses, feeling the gentle beating of Zelda's heart. He would be confused for a second, only to hear the gentle words that always played in his mind.

" _It is my pleasure. If anyone ever tries to do you harm… then I will heal you."_

* * *

Ah, so it had finally arrived. The Blight that had held this particular heart container had been one of the less predictable of his creations, witnessing the evidence of its demise was somewhat cathartic. What he had been able to glimpse through its eyes had certainly been more entertaining than the never-ending tunnels that his first Blight had formed; to think, one had finally managed to develop the sense to murder the Princess while she was vulnerable! It was just a shame that the Blight couldn't have gone through with it before it met its demise at the hero's hand.

He was no fool. Even though his vision may have been cut short when the Blight was destroyed, it was clear that there would be some sort of goddess forsaken miracle that would revive their child of light. Even in this world, the meddling goddesses had nothing better to do with their lives than mess up his plans. What he did manage to see was a strange power that had engulfed the hero, the sight causing his blood to boil. Yet another power granted to the light for no reason over than to spit in his face, it was ridiculous! From his time in Hyrule Castle, he had seen full well what the technologies of the Sheikah had been capable of in the hero's hand, and it most certainly did not boast that much power. The aura felt familiar, something that even he had once held in his grasp… yet he couldn't place a name upon it. So many lives spanning so many millennia, it was hard to keep track of just everything that had happened within them.

What was clear however was that he would need to step up his game. A quick clenching of his fist crushed the tainted heart container that had been sitting there, the most beautiful sensation passing through his body as he swallowed the contents. It wouldn't even take seconds before its effects began to occur, the power to stand tall finally returning to him. Now, he could finally put the next part of his plan into action, one that would finally be able to consolidate his presence within the new world. There had been whispers through the darkness he had imbued his Blights with, the creatures of Grimm connected strongly to that which gave birth to them, even if they were not aware. It was how he had been able to observe the one who commanded them, learn of her machinations and the intense hatred that she held for the humanity she plotted against. Yes, she would make a fine asset to assist him, but not quite yet.

What a strange figure she posed. A being who lived within a world completely alien to her own, letting the creatures born of a god of darkness attack and murder those who she once considered her kin. Who found her beloved dead and begged with all her might to have the higher beings revive them, only to be denied and punished for her transgressions, manipulating kings and queens against the gods after her attempts to pit them against each other failed. He could appreciate her manipulative cunning, if not the reasons for how she gained her power. Even when he consumed as much power as possible to defeat the hero, to the extent where it _appeared_ he would no longer be able to regenerate, he had never once attempted to sacrifice his life for such measly motivation. If it weren't for how it had gifted her such interesting powers, then he might've simply already removed her from the world; such a flimsy mindset would never be able to achieve what she desired.

But before he could do that, he would have to recover more strength. After all, if this was all he needed to return to his full power, there would be no need for the other two Blights resting beside him, absorbing the malice he gave off and funnelling the material which made up the Grimm. No, they would need just a little bit more time to reach their potential and the hero could continue playing the hapless pawn in his plan. And speaking of the hero…

"… **YOU HAVE RETURNED…"** he didn't show it, but there was a small amount of satisfaction that came with those words. No longer was his voice as beastly as it had been before, but just as intimidating and full of power. No, his words held more power than ever before, a power that was enough to make the dark form of the hero fall to his knee immediately. **"…WHAT NEWS DO YOU BRING…?"**

"My Lord, the Princess has survived, revived by the same power that has kept the hero alive." A dark silhouette declared, the hero's voice coming through darkness-born lips with only a slight distortion as he raised golden eyes behind a mask split in half between bone and metal to meet his master's. "However, they are weak. They do not know how to control the light yet and that power the hero used confused him as much as ourselves my Lord. If you strike now, then even your incomplete form will be able to deal them a crushing blow."

"… **NO…"** his master declared with a shake of his head. **"…I MUST CONSOLIDATE MY STRENGTH… THAT WOMAN THREATENS MY CHANCES UPON THIS WORLD… SHE MUST FALL BEFORE I CAN TAKE OVER… THEN THE LIGHT SHALL MEET THEIR PAINFUL DEATHS…"**

The dark man remained quiet as his master's laughter filled the air, a harsh noise regardless of how much his machinations had restored his body. He was in no position to question the decisions made by his master, for the dark man knew the reasons for his creation very well; he was to hunt down the one who shared his image with a reckless abandon, stalking through the shadows to gain as much information upon his counterpart so that when it was time for his master to announce his presence, he would be right there beside him ready to cut down any who would block their path. If his master wished to test the hero by releasing his Blights first, then it was simply more time for the silhouette to keep learning and gaining experience.

It had been a strange experience, being reborn into the body that he currently inhabited, a perfect copy of another save for the improvements over the fleshy Hylian biology that made them the weakest of the races that could be found in Hyrule. Being extremely young compared to the ancient ancestors who marched tirelessly around the borders looking for weaknesses, the dark man had held little feeling in his body. Suddenly gaining purpose and emotion beyond his instincts was a feeling that couldn't be described and it had brought forth a sense of fear, as much as he knew of it, but it had allowed him to reach an existence beyond the undoubtedly short life he would've lived otherwise.

The more he watched the hero interact and battle, the more he started to understand the aspects of his being that caused his master to experience such anger, anger that was justified. After all, in the eternal battle between light and darkness, it was as if the universe couldn't comprehend a universe where darkness reigned supreme, even once. What was the point of claiming you were holding the balance when every time the two great powers clashed, so many miracles would fall into the hands of the light? He would ensure that the balance was truly held and his master would be able to demonstrate just how helpless the Hylians were when they didn't hold such a blatant advantage."

"… **I HAVE A MISSION FOR YOU… DARK LINK…"** It was a name that caused his master to snarl, but it made the most sense considering that he bore the image of his master's most hated enemy – who better to defeat the hero than himself?

"…As you desire, my Lord."


	13. Waltz of the Wild

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On dances and deceptions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My dearest apologies. In uploading, I managed to forget an entire chapter...

…Princess. You're awake.

"…But how?" Zelda muttered as rose from the bed, feeling her body. A body with not a single bruise to be found, nor any sign of the vicious pain that she had been forced to go through under the hold of the Poisonblight. Under normal circumstances, her body should at the very least have been tarred by the poison put through her body, surely? "Link, did you heal me?"

It was a long story. A story that Link still didn't fully understand himself. A story of a foolish knight moving alone to face an incredible danger out of sheer anger. A story of a foolish knight who let his princess die in his hands. A story of a Zora producing a miracle she should not have been able to from the powers she had shown so far.

Link's last statement piqued the princess' attention, wiping the sleep from her eyes as she looked to her knight. Link didn't meet those eyes, he didn't even look in her direction. Instead, he was looking to the ground, almost lost in thought as he held a weapon he hadn't wielded in a long time.

"The Lightscale Trident?" the personal armament of the Zora Princess, a weapon that was held with ferocious speed and strength that belied her lithe build. It was meant to have been drifted down the Zora River, a tribute to the princess when she had died doing her duty, yet it had found its way into Link's hands as a reward for his avenging her.

The implication of Link's pose paired with his words wasn't lost upon Zelda, but it was meant to be impossible. No matter how much Link would've liked to, it was impossible to use Mipha's Grace upon anyone save for himself. It had been a rather disappointing discovery soon after the Hylian had been gifted with them; there was always a haunted look in his eyes as he spoke of the woman who died in his arms, the wound in her stomach remaining until the very end.

"Link, did… did Mipha heal me?"

It just came out of nowhere. First, he couldn't believe his eyes, couldn't believe the blood that stained his hands as the laser ripped through. The only conclusion there could've been was death, and for the Blight there was.

And yet, a heartbeat returned where it shouldn't have been and there was no more bleeding and… she spoke. It wasn't the first time Mipha had spoken to him, but there was something different about it this time.

"I see, sort of… Well, I'm sure that Mipha understands how grateful I am for her assistance." Zelda answered, cracking her neck in a decidedly non-royal manner. It may not have been pretty, but damn, did it feel good. "Maybe when I'm in a better position, we can do a bit more experimenting with your powers to see whether the others have changed in similar ways. How long has it been since… the _experience_?"

A couple of days. It was better than what Yang had been able to do, she was still suffering from the poison and only looked marginally better.

"Really? How horrible… thank goodness we'll never have to face such a terrible fate again. Are you certain that there's nothing we can do?" the princess questioned, pulling her sheets closer to her body. Link merely shook his head in the negative. "Ah… Well, I suppose then all we can do is pray to the Goddesses that she makes a swift recovery. Do you mind if we take a walk? I find myself woefully hungry after sleeping for so long…"

* * *

"Ah, Miss Zelda, you're better!" the two Hylians paused when they saw Velvet running over to them, several bags clutched in her hands.

One look was all that Link needed to see the copious amounts of clothes held within the bags, far more than Velvet would ever normally need, especially considering that Huntsman clothes were made to be particularly sturdy. Her leader Coco, dragging along behind her, was carrying even more, something that the knight struggled to ever see a use for.

"When news had spread about how Link was taking care of you, I wanted to visit, but, you know… classes." The rabbit Faunus remarked, shuffling in place. "Oh, let me get back to my dorm! I made some carrot cake for you!"

"You didn't need to Velvet. And Coco, how long it's been since we talked." Zelda said, a pleasant smile upon her face.

While she may not have interacted with the students as much as Link, the after-class sparring sessions that he held meant that Zelda could watch along and chat with the people resting. Considering that Team CFVY was one of the few teams who took advantage of such an offer, it meant that Zelda built up a better rapport with the team leader and others.

"That's saying something. Before I heard it was an injury, I thought you just didn't want to see us anymore." Coco said with a false tear in her eye, the teasing smile removing any malice the words had. "Nice to see you up and about again. Would've thought you'd get your nose stuck in another book."

"Well, it turns out that a girl tends to become hungry when sleeping for a long period." Came Zelda's answer, turning her face away with a small blush at the snickers that escaped Coco. "A-anyway, might I ask about the clothes? From what I can see, they're rather… excessive for casual use. Is there some sort of event occurring that we're unaware of?"

"Haven't you heard about the Beacon Ball? I thought you would've been invited?" Velvet said, her ears twitching in excitement. "Because of the Vytal Festival, a special ball is being held to celebrate everyone coming together from the different Kingdoms and it's being held here in Vale, so we don't even need to travel far. It happens every two years, but the ball's only for students; we only get two chances to relax like this in our school lives."

"So imagine my surprise when Velvet here was planning on going with a simple _second-hand_ dress. That just won't do, not when there are so many cute boys who will be there." Coco concluded, a great blush appearing on Velvet's face as the Faunus turned away.

"Well, it was what I typically wore when I went to fancy stuff… I can't just go out and buy something new every time like you."

Link could only shake his head. He had been to few balls in his life, but whenever he had, it had always been garbed in either the Champion's tunic or his knight's armour. The idea of being unable to wear something a second time around was just too strange for someone like him. Besides, he was very much in the same boat as Velvet; his wage didn't allow such a thing unless it was required.

Plus, he didn't like the way that Coco pulled down her sunglasses at the mention of cute boys.

"Ah, I see… hopefully, we'll be able to attend. It's been… a great while since I've attended a ball of any kind." Zelda remarked, hiding the wince that came to her face from all save for her closest knight.

Being a researcher at heart meant that Zelda hadn't been all that interested in the theatrics that came with her royal position, including the many mandatory balls and celebrations she had been forced into. They cut into the time she could be spending looking through the library or out in the filed after all. It was only once she made friends with Link and the other champions that they had become at least somewhat bearable.

This time, however, the majority of the people there wouldn't be treating her like Royalty; she would just be the random girl who always seemed to be with Link. No more of the awkward stares and utterly blatant attempts to curry her favour, just a night where she could relax and dance a little perhaps.

"No reason not to! Have you got something to wear?" Coco's question was a sudden reminder of how little they owned, Link and Zelda meeting each other's eyes. "You're kidding me? You don't have _anything_ that would be suitable for the ball? Has it really been that long since you've been to something fancy?"

About one hundred years, actually. The closest they ever got in Hyrule were unofficial ceremonies and most, if not all of them had been conducted with Link in his champion's outfit and Zelda in matching attire. The majority of the clothing that would've been available was ruined by time in Hyrule Castle and there hadn't been any reason to try and recover the same levels of clothing. When they had been transported to Remnant, most of that had been left back in Hyrule, so they didn't even have _that._

Of course, they couldn't just say that out loud, Link scratching the bottom of his chin, he was fortunate that the two girls didn't question any more, Coco immediately dropping her clothes on an unaware Velvet so she could grab both Link and Zelda by the arms.

"Don't say it, I can see it in your eyes. Come on, we're going to get you something _real_ special. You'll be the shining couple in the ball!" Coco declared with far too much enthusiasm, no room for negotiation with how tightly the team leader was gripping their arms. "Velvet, I swear I saw Fox waiting up a little bit on, drop those off on him and meet me down at the Bullhead docks. We're going all out!"

"W-wait! We just got back!" Velvet called out, only to be easily ignored by her Coco. "Oh, Coco… but it would be nice to see what she picks out for them. Right, just got to find Fox!"

* * *

"Don't you believe you're being rather excessive with all this spending?" Zelda muttered as she held up the dress, holding it close to her body so Coco and Velvet could get a proper look. "I mean, I can understand why you would be excited, but your clothes must've cost a fair amount. I could never expect you to pay for this in addition, we certainly make enough to pay."

Well, that was a stretch. While the money that Ozpin so generously provided for Link's work meant that they did not need to care about the essentials, the amount of attire that Coco was checking out would make a serious dent already. If she didn't stop, then maybe it wouldn't be enough…

"Don't worry your pretty little head over it. My family are pretty deep in the fashion industry, we make good money. How do you think I pay for this little bad boy?" answered coco as she tapped the side of her handbag with a grin. "Let's just say a penny pincher isn't going to be able to afford the best in the business alongside a high calibre Gatling gun. Trust me when I say I can take the bill."

"…Miss Zelda, you're so beautiful." Velvet sighed as she sat on the sidelines, the princess turning to her. "Everything you try on looks so good on you. I'm kind of jealous. Compared to you, I'm kind of plain…"

"Oh, don't speak like that Velvet. You look absolutely divine." Zelda reassured, rubbing the top of said girl's ears, much to Velvet's delight.

It was a small trait that she had stumbled on by complete accident. When they were in a conversation, Coco had playfully remarked about the sensitivity of her ears and made a whole show of playing with them, much to Velvet's embarrassment. It often worked when the Faunus required a pick-me-up.

It wasn't as if Zelda was lying; despite her Faunus heritage, Velvet had managed to catch quite a few eyes with the boys of Beacon. After all, if there was one thing that was going to get teenage libidos going, it was bound to be the literal bunny girl. It was just a shame that racial prejudice either meant that people refused to admit it or were too scared to be seen asking out a Faunus, or Velvet would have to fend off more than a few suitors.

"Not saying you're wrong, but you're on a whole different level." Interrupted Coco, taking the dress out of Zelda's hands and throwing it onto the far smaller pile of two. According to the fashionista, it wasn't even a discard pile, just 'the pile for stuff I like, but don't know if it's _ball-worthy_ '. "I mean, you've got the skin of a princess. What is your skincare? Because I need ten tonnes of it, now."

"Well, I guess it's just luck." The number of products dedicated to body maintenance in Remnant was seriously overkill compared to the traditional techniques passed down through the ages in Hyrule. Really, most of the things that Hylians used were just mother's tales – good cleaning and hygiene along with the wonders of nature usually proved enough to keep them beautiful.

The amount of jealousy that came for a brief second was near choking, only to fade away and pleasant smiles to appear on both Coco and Velvet's faces moments later. Zelda blinked; had she just imagined that?

"Oh, Mr Link, you're finished!" when Zelda turned around at Velvet's call, she had to suppress her giggles.

It wasn't because of his appearance, because Link looked magnificent. The wild untamed mess of blond hair worked surprisingly well with the tuxedo that Coco had chosen for him, a roguish aura about his person as he stepped towards the girls. No, it was the fact that he looked far too awkward in the suit, tugging at his sleeves and collars in a desperate attempt to let his body breathe.

Without hesitation, Coco was already walking around, judging a million different factors a second as Link merely stood there, unsure of what to do. It was only when she gave a satisfactory nod that Link let out a sigh of relief. Thank goodness attempt four managed to pass the test.

Was it entirely necessary to do it four times? He didn't see the issue with suit one and each suit afterwards got more and more expensive. Was the raise in appearance worth the extra Lien when the first one was just as good for cheaper?

"Oh Link, you wouldn't understand." Coco immediately dismissed, pulling out a card with a grin. Before they could even question it, the card had already been taken by one of the store attendants, the receipt slipping into Coco's pocket before they could even glimpse the price. Considering the length though, it wasn't going to be cheap. "This is a special occasion, if you don't splash out, you're going to regret it. Guys get to use suits multiple times anyway, so you need something that's gonna stand the test of time."

"Think of it like a gift Mr Link. You've been helping us and everyone else so much in Beacon, we had to do something to return the favour." Velvet reasoned with an impish smile. "I don't think I would've made it half as far as I have without your help, or Miss Zelda's advice. It's a shame that everyone's going to be going on their missions soon, we won't be able to have our spars as often."

Link had heard about the mandatory mission system Beacon employed. To grant a bit of 'work experience', the students all took a portion of their school year actively participating in actual missions, the lower years being locked to less dangerous objectives while higher years were given a little more leeway. It was the perfect way to weed out weaknesses and grow as a huntsman; nothing helped people become better by putting them in the face of danger.

It was why Link was about to have far more free time than ever before. Technically, he wasn't off the job, so it wasn't _proper_ free time, but it was in everything but name. He had to join Zelda in her research, even if he didn't have a clue about what it was; it beat sitting around doing nothing.

When Velvet put it like that, then it would've been rude to say no. He had no idea what he was going to do with the other pieces that Coco had brought for him though; even as pretty much an official part of the Beacon staff, he never dressed all that formally. He just couldn't make it work like any of the professors, it felt too stifling compared to his common attire.

"I'm sure no one will force you to wear it Link, it's just for the ball," Zelda said with a grin, taking her bag. "…What, did you think you'd get a peek at my clothes? I supposed it would be nicer to keep it a surprise, wouldn't you?"

"Okay then, come on lovebirds. We need to get back in time for classes, never really planned for this." Coco was quick to utter before Link could find a response, pushing the pair of blondes out onto the street. "Unlike you two, we need all the training we can get. Training that _you're_ supposed to be there to give."

Link looked to the time with a small gasp. If he was reading it correctly, then he needed to be in the classroom and ready to help with the lessons in… four minutes. Considering that the trip on the Bullhead was bound to take longer than that, all he could do was ponder the fate that awaited him.

"I should've warned you sooner. Teachers have to be there before students, don't they?" Velvet spoke, shuffling in place. "If you come in at the same time as the students, Miss Goodwitch will go easy on you, right?"

Something told Link, no.

* * *

The ball itself was… an interesting production. That wasn't to say that there wasn't any effort put into it – the Beacon Ballroom had been completely transformed from a cold, empty hall into a brilliant party for the students complete with the latest hits, fine food and a bunch of balloons and ribbons all over the place. Whoever had been put in charge had been meticulous in ensuring that the ball would be something people would never forget and from the number of people having the times of their lives, they had done a pretty complete job.

It was just so foreign to what Link had been expecting that the knight wasn't even sure how to react. From the stuffy tuxedo he was wearing, the Hylian had been expecting the typical royal affair; slow quiet tunes, gentle snacking amongst discourse and a constant judgement on one's mannerisms. The number of times he had seen people lose their whole reputation from a tiny faux pas was near immeasurable.

Here though, no one was afraid to look stupid, because why would they? Everyone else looked just the same, dancing without any real care to music unlike any that Link had heard before. Switching from the soothing melodies of Kass' accordion to the heavy energetic beats of… well, whatever was playing was causing havoc with his ears. The students were enjoying it though, so Link wouldn't complain.

Officially, he was given the role of a chaperone, to prevent any actions that could be considered 'detrimental to Beacon's reputation'. Considering that Ironwood and Goodwitch also held such titles and had already taken to the dance floor together, Link was pretty sure that it wasn't a major role in the grand scheme of things.

They hadn't been alone. Blake seemed to be having an enjoyable time with Sun and Weiss was having a pleasant conversation with Neptune. It was just a shame that he hadn't been able to see the full team, Ruby no doubt looking after her sister. The youngest had made no attempts to keep it a secret about how much she didn't like the idea of going to the ball and considering that Yang was still struggling, it wasn't difficult to guess where she was. Ren and Nora were, predictably, having a great time together if not _together_ , but Jaune and Pyrrha were yet to be found.

"Having fun there, Link?" Zelda's voice spoke in his ears over the loud music, the knight turning to the princess and quickly unable to believe his eyes.

The golden circlet upon her head and a pair of elegantly engraved bracelets fit with her pale skin and hair harmoniously, the flowing white dress with blue highlights fitting to her upper figure beautifully. She was no stranger to those kinds of dresses, Link had seen her sacred outfit multiple times, but the pink fabric over the top secured with golden shoulder pads and a crimson belt only added to her beauty. She must've requested the Hylian royal symbols embroidered upon the pink, for there was no way such an intricate replication could've been made otherwise. Paired with the shoulder cape of white, it was a brilliant fusion of youthful innocence and a queen's maturity.

"Pick up your jaw Link." Zelda giggled, reaching out beneath her knight's chin. "I must say, Coco really knew her stuff. I never would've found something like this on my own, nor knew how to get the Triforce embroidered upon it. Once we're done here and have found a way to return to Hyrule, perhaps I may make this my official outfit. Maybe I could do the same with your tuxedo, you look dashing."

Please don't. It was hard enough doing it for the day, if he had to wear it anytime anything official came up, he might've died.

"Very well, it's a shame but I won't force my dearest knight to go through any undue torture." The princess giggled as she leant against the rail, looking down. "You should relax a little. After everything that's gone on, no one would begrudge you a little bit of relaxation."

No, that wasn't his kind of thing. He was a swordsman, not a dancer. He had never stepped forth on a dance floor, the most he had done was mess about with his fellow knights and their girlfriends when there were celebrations in the barracks. They weren't exactly the most elegant of dances.

"And do you think _that_ is?" Zelda tried to retort between laughter, Link curiously turning towards the dance floor.

If there was anything in the entire world that the Hylian could've ever expected to find, it most certainly was not Jaune in a dress, a delicate white number that did not suit his masculine build. If that had been it, then perhaps that would've been weird enough, but he as well as the rest of Team JNPR were tearing up the dance floor in what could've only been a purposely choreographed routine. The way that they were moving was nothing like a typical dance, yet Link couldn't pull his eyes away.

Or maybe that was because Jaune was in a dress.

"Why don't you join them?" and before Link knew it, Zelda had quite literally pushed him over the rails, Link flipping his entire body to land with his feet on the ground.

Though the music kept thumping, team JNPR suddenly stopped their impromptu dance routine, looking to their assistant teacher as he started to glare daggers at an unrepentant Zelda above. There was confusion for a moment, before a sudden grin appeared on Nora's face and she began to yell out loud.

"Dance! Dance! Dance!"

Link didn't know how to react at first. It wasn't as if he could deny the girl, not with how much traction the idea was gaining. In what felt like no time at all, almost the entire hall was chanting for Link to strut his stuff, even the teachers clapping along if what Link saw from the corner of his eye was right. Well, if they wanted it, they were going to have it.

He would dance, but that didn't mean he was going to do it alone.

"…Link? LINK!" a sudden gust of wind had Link flying into the air, the paraglider keeping him afloat in one hand while the other reached out to grab Zelda's. Before the princess even knew what was happening, she was whirling in the air, delicately falling to the ground to the sound of raucous applause as Link put away the paraglider. "…If you wanted me to dance with you, all you had to do was ask."

The music died down into a gentle waltz, the princess' arm wrapping around Link's shoulder while Link placed his at Zelda's waist. Despite their combined distaste for the art, it had been drilled into them and without all of the expectations, it suddenly felt a lot more fun to go through.

It wasn't as if anyone else couldn't join in with the waltz, not with how little space Zelda and Link took up, but nobody dared to. They would simply be drowned out by the sheer radiance the couple produced; no one would've been surprised if the pair turned out to be trained from birth to dance in such an elegant bewitching manner (but would never realise just how close to the truth they got).

The men were unable to draw their eyes away from Zelda's form as she twirled and stepped across the ballroom, her beauty glowing like a miniature sun with a brilliant smile. The ladies who were their dates probably would've gotten jealous from how much attention they were giving the blonde, if it weren't for the fact that they were doing the same thing to Link. After the ball, it would become a common fantasy for both men and women to imagine an exotic blond in their arms.

Not that either Link or Zelda cared about that. They were too lost in one another's eyes to take notice, moving almost autonomously around the floor as a spotlight began to beam down on them. Beacon no longer surrounded them, replaced by the field beside Link's house in Hateno Village. With the setting sun as their light, they had spent the night in one another's arms, celebrating their joint survival.

But how about speeding things up?

"Link?" Zelda questioned as she felt the knight move out of her grip, gesturing to where one of the students was in charge of the music. A brief smile appeared on his face when he saw Ivy Sernas operating the turntable, the beat slowly growing in speed as Link's moves slowly grew more and more sporadic.

Dancing like a royal was fun and all, but this was how the _common people_ did it.

And with that statement, Link was dancing like a Wildman, the perfect balance between erratic flailing and practised choreography. Zelda giggled as she tried to follow along with the movements, but the sheer difference between them meant it was a battle between Link's energetic crazy freestyle and Zelda's graceful ballet-like movements. No longer were people in awe of the angel and her warrior, but happily cheering for their teachers being far better modern dancers than even they imagined.

"We never knew you could dance!" Jaune laughed out as he approached, Ren, Neptune and Sun by his sides and joining in with the groove. "My sisters had to train me for ages to get me as good as I am, and then you rock up as if you've done this way too many times before!"

"Dude, do you know how much you've been killing it?" Neptune added, gesturing to the room around them. "You're the stars of the show man, they can't take their eyes away. I wish I could dance half as well as you."

Well, they couldn't be that bad, definitely not Jaune and Ren after the show they were giving moments before. Well, the dress was a weird touch, but it got Jaune the attention of both the girls and guys in the room.

"Hehehe, it's a long story."

Link put his eyes over to where Zelda was standing, Blake, Weiss, Nora and Pyrrha eagerly chatting with her. An idea popped into his head, a quick whispered conversation having Ren rolling his eyes while the other two boys happily jumped on it. It didn't take much convincing to have Ren feel the same way and soon enough, the sound of four boys stepping forward in rhythm drew the girls' attention. It was Nora who summed it up best, excitedly jumping in place as she screamed it out for the whole hall to hear.

"Oh, you did not just challenge us to a dance battle!" and with that, two teams of boys versus girls suddenly began to clash upon the dance floor. It was an event that would forever be locked in the annuls of Beacon history, an event that would never be beaten no matter how many balls were held. The strength of the guys' movements contrasted greatly with the finesse of the girls' and together, the videos produced from their battle would spread endlessly across the internet until they were quite literally one of the most viewed videos.

All in all, Link and Zelda thought it was one of the most fun nights they had ever managed to have.

* * *

"Midnight then. I'll be back in time." With all of the festivities going on in such a crowded area, nobody was going to notice the lone figure that was jumping from rooftop to rooftop clothed in pure black. With everyone so focused on the ball, moving about the rest of Beacon was going to be an absolute breeze.

The first guard had no idea what hit him when suddenly all became black, the intruder easily carrying his body away to where none would find him for a good while. All the same, the security detail within were completely unprepared for the person that just waltzed into the CCT tower without a single care in the world.

"Hey, no one's allowed in this area. That means stop!" yet before the gun could even be raised, a pair of black blades were already cutting through his flesh, a cough of blood only intensifying thanks to the kick in the back that sent the guard flying into the wall. His companions fared no better, for they were no huntsmen; their armour lacked the same protection that aura could gift and their weapons were mass-produced, no match for the seemingly untouchable enemy they faced. In a swift flurry of slashes and flames, they were down for the count.

Wiping her hands off as she exited the elevator, the intruder smirked as she saw the computers laid out before her, not a single soul left to defend them. It was a shame really, she had been expecting a better workout to get this far. Still, it helped make her life much easier.

"Cinder Fall. Puppet of Salem." The statement caused a pair of blades to be thrown towards the wall in the distances, hitting absolutely nothing as another pair materialised within the intruder's hands. Her stance tightened as she tried to follow the voice, something difficult when it was echoing all about the computer control room. "My lord has taken an interest in yours. As his servant, it is my duty to see whether you as one of her proxies stand up to his expectations."

"You would call me a puppet when you are no better?" Cinder retorted, watching as the shadows seemingly began to fluctuate. With how late it was and how little light there was within the room, it should've been impossible.

Yet they converged upon a single spot just before the computer Cinder needed, forming a pool that slowly gave way to a humanoid form. Metal swirled upon the darkness, forming into a corrupted set of armour as yellow glowing eyes peered into her soul. A sword handle with a blue energy blade tainted with red was planted tip first into the ground as the dark humanoid's body finished forming, taking on the image of one that Cinder had not been expecting.

"The difference is, I am fully aware that I was born for a single purpose. You, however, refuse to believe that she controls your every move." Dark Link muttered, a grin appearing upon his face. Cinder couldn't imagine anything more horrific in her life. "Little Cinder Fall: nowhere to go, barely surviving, only to find salvation moments before your death. She offers you power for a price and you follow like a puppy."

"…Who are you? _What_ are you?" was the only thing that Cinder could remark to that, attempting to keep her calm as best as she could. No matter how much effort she put into it however, she just could not suppress the surprise that entered her features.

The entity before her was beyond even the Grimm in unnaturalness; as a human, it was as if her very instincts were yelling at her to flee from his presence. She had to restrain herself however, she had a mission and its successful conclusion was vital to her aims.

"You can say I am many things. A spy, a warrior, a loyal servant." Dark Link replied, slowly drawing his blade from the ground.

From within the flesh that made up his arm, a small shield-like piece began to appear, the outer ring expanding to make way for more tainted energy to form a larger protective area. As the shadows leaked off his body, Dark Link settled into a combat stance, making sure that his body covered as much of the space before the computer as possible.

"However, right now I am but a researcher and I hope you can make an interesting subject. Show me what you are capable of, Puppet of Salem."

Dark Link let his hand rise, grabbing each of the three arrows that shot towards him between his fingers. A single toss was all that was required to force Cinder back, a surprising amount of strength behind such a simple movement.

With a flamboyant gesture of her body, Cinder summoned several flames, a dash forward having the fire cover her body as she ran towards her opponent. Twin swords met shield, the energy-based protection unwavering as a firm tackle had Cinder stumbling backwards. Without relent, Dark Link followed through with a knee to her stomach, his ancient blade slicing through from shoulder to hip before he head-butted her back further.

Cinder tried to retaliate with a burning slash, only for it to miss by the narrowest of margins. A cruel smirk appeared on his face when he felt the fire warm his face, his body suddenly blurring to Cinder's vision.

She wasn't a slow fighter by any means, but the sudden speed that her opponent suddenly moved at was beyond human comprehension. Before she could even fathom the idea of defending herself, she had already felt the brunt of several slashes cutting a web through her body, a firm kick providing the power to make a crater in the wall she collided with in a fraction of a second.

It was a form that she had seen one man in particular use to great effect, even if he always refrained himself from using his full might against the students of Beacon. The same person who this _creature_ shared his form with.

Placing her swords together, a swirl of fire had her bow notched with another trio of arrows, Cinder running between them towards Dark Link, his first slash came straight down above her, only for the black-haired woman to smirk victoriously as she dashed around behind him, her blades coming from both directions. As he was, Dark Link was surrounded.

Until he grabbed the arrows out of the air, whirling around the block the swords with them and then stab them firmly into Cinder's stomach, using the levers to throw her over his head.

"Ah, arrows, such a primitive form of ranged combat. Allow me to show you the superior form my lord has gifted to me." Dark Link muttered with a deranged grin as from his stomach, a glowing blue eye appeared. With only a second to notice the red aiming light, Cinder couldn't do anything but brace herself as the giant blue laser blasted her with incredible fury, the wall unable to withstand the force as Cinder was blasted out of the CCT tower in an explosion of debris and energy.


	14. The best laid plans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On fights and forges.

A curse escaped Cinder. This wasn't going the way it was supposed to at all. If her idiot of an opponent blurted out that annoying nickname of his, or even worse, her actual name, her entire plan would be completely ruined. She was fortunate enough that she still had her disguise on.

Not that it was doing her any good in this fight. After all, it was intended purely as a disguise; considering the type of security she had gone up against, a sturdy defence wasn't exactly necessary. Now that she was facing against what felt like a doomsday weapon, Cinder was quickly finding out just how flimsy her defences were.

Her aura had taken a serious hit and Cinder wasn't exactly lacking in that department. She still had enough to manipulate the dust she threw out, a series of ice crystals forming in the air as she sent them throwing forward, but any more hard strikes and she was out like a light.

Dark Link dealt with nothing but hard strikes however, his laser charging up once more. Had it not been for the smallest of margins, Cinder would have a new hole in her torso; instead, the trees behind her were completely obliterated, the dust blown off into the night.

The following attack came as a flash of light in the corner of Cinder's vision, her twin swords deflecting the ancient blade that Dark Link wielded. They managed the job, barely, but their glass composition meant they easily broke under the strength of the attack. The black haired girl was fortunate that her skill in dust manipulation allowed her to easily recreate them.

A small scoff escaped Cinder as the arrows she attempted to stab into Dark Link's head smashed into each other, grazing the top of his hat while a knee entered her stomach.

For the briefest moment, a flash of some sort of emotion appeared on the shadowy warrior's face, almost akin to surprise – did the bastard really think that Cinder wouldn't even be able to damage his clothes? The implication caused the scoff to turn into a growl, her determination taking form as a wild flurry of blades that Dark Link appeared to have trouble dodging. The longer it went on, the more it seemed as if he was actually tiring.

At least until the shield appeared out of nowhere with a flash of blue light, forcing Cinder's head back an unnatural amount. Through the immense pain, Cinder gave a small prayer of thanks for the fact she had her aura; though it may be near depleted, it prevented her neck from snapping entirely and ending her life.

"You fall short of your reputation, Puppet of Salem." Dark Link muttered, yellow eyes turning to where a group of five were gathering with their weapons at the ready. They looked ridiculous, wielding incredibly varied armaments while stood in dresses and suits, but he was not in a position to deal with them all. "Therefore, my Lord will surely forgive me if I snuff out your life. You have served your purpose, puppet."

* * *

Link couldn't believe his eyes. Rapidly replacing the Master Sword with an ancient blade, the resemblance between his and the strange shadow's weapon was undeniable. That wasn't the only thing that bore resemblance to the Hylian either…

"Link, is that… you?" Ruby was the one to say it out loud, the leader of team RWBY pulling back the handle of Crescent Rose as she stood alongside the rest of her team. All they were waiting for was the word and they would all charge forth on the combatants. "It's like you, but all Grimm-like. It's kind of creepy."

It was clear that the shadow of Link was proving victorious over the other, the disguised of the pair stumbling back as a vicious shield strike blew her head back in what would normally be a killing move.

If it continued as it was, then one would surely end up murdering the other and even if they both had been infiltrating the CCT Tower, the school couldn't afford a death on their records, especially on such a publicised unity event.

"So basically, what Link is saying is, move out!" Yang yelled, Team RWBY immediately launching into action with their teacher close behind them.

They all moved with an incredible confidence in their forms. Even if they weren't able to handle the issue by themselves, they had an entire hall of people trained to fight and all of the security that came with such a large, high profile event; there was no way they could lose.

As soon as Link yelled for them to stop however, that confidence quickly changed into confusion, the quartet of girls stumbling as they tried to slow themselves down. The reason for his yell quickly became obvious however, the girls forced to cover their eyes as a laser burst out of the shadow of Link towards its disguised opponent.

If there was one thing that Link had to begrudgingly admit, the shadow of himself was a step above anything else he had witnessed. Usually, whenever a Blight or a Guardian attempted to use their laser technology, it required a hefty waiting time as the power charged and the aiming lasers meant it was pretty easy to tell when they were going to fire and where.

This time? There was barely more than a near silent sound and the softest of glows before energy on a completely different scale launched out of the stomach of the shadow. Had team RWBY been in the firing line, then aura be damned, they would be nothing more than ash; the attack was meant to kill and nothing less. The signs were smaller than any other and yet the power behind it was frighteningly unique – that was a dangerous combination.

When the laser approached the disguised intruder, Link expected to see a vaporised body standing in their place. What none of those present had been expecting was for the figure to completely shatter like glass, the shards slowly fading away from existence as if they were never there in the first place. It was only the second shattering noise that revealed the disguised intruder standing in a completely different spot, right next to an unrepentantly smiling girl.

The diminutive girl was a somewhat familiar sight to the Hylian. The whitetail jacket, brown corset and boots, white gloves and boots and especially the hair of pink, brown and white – it was the same as the small glimpse he had managed to get before the battle on the highway. So, this intruder was connected to Roman, were they? They had to at least be forced to work together if their escape method was the same.

With a twirl of an elaborately patterned pink umbrella, the tri-coloured girl gave a small bow, her grin giving her the airs of a showman. Whether it affected the shadow of Link or not, it didn't let it show upon his face as a smile of its own appeared.

"So, the experiment has arrived." The shadow remarked, confusing all present save for the tri-coloured arrival, whose eyebrows immediately shot up in alarm. "Tell me, which name should I use? The name of the eldest? Or perhaps, the youngest among you?"

Though she made no sound, it was clear from the iron grip upon the umbrella and the trembles that passed through her body that the sudden arrival had not been prepared to hear those words. It made the shadow's grin grow even larger with glee.

"Regardless, I have no need to continue this battle further. The Puppet has proven herself lacking and even together, you prove no challenge to me." The shadow continued, turning away. "Run away, experiment. Your tricks hold nothing against me."

"Wait!" but it was too late, for the two shattered once more, leaving only the shadow to turn around and face Ruby. "Okay, not going to pretend I know what's going on, but you're clearly up to no good."

"Well, I cannot deny that." the shadow chuckled, before it expression became curious for the briefest of moment. "…How strange. For humans and faunus, you hold a remarkably foreign aura dormant within you. It is disappointing that I must leave. Perhaps we shall battle another day Hero, children."

Gambol Shroud ended up flying through thin air, Blake's eyes narrowing as the shadow of Link melted into the darkness to leave nothing behind. Whatever it was, it knew far too much from those words and the attacks it so callously threw about were crazy.

"Well, it appears we were a little too late to the party." Ozpin's remark came a little too calm for the amount of forces behind him, led by a handgun wielding Ironwood. A teasing smile appeared on the headmaster's face as he turned to the general, taking a sip from his cup. "I told you amassing a force of this level would be fruitless."

"…Not the time Ozpin."

* * *

"Do you know what this means? We have multiple unknown assailants who managed to knock out every single member of the security detail and caused a major ruckus relatively close to where a vast majority of the students were. How do you think that reflects on us?" Ironwood grumbled as he slammed his fist against the table.

"If I am correct, every member of security present at the CCT tower was of _Atlas_ , not Beacon." Ozpin piped up, completely unperturbed by the dark glare the general sent in his direction at the implication. "And it isn't as if we do not have information on our assailants. After all, we have first-hand witnesses of the end of their conflict."

"Even though I don't doubt their words, it does sound somewhat suspicious, don't you agree?" Glynda muttered with a hand to her forehead, a quick glimpse at her watch reminding her of just how late it was getting. She was already sacrificing precious work and sleep time when she was 'volunteered' to chaperone the ball and having to stay up even longer was cruel. "A clone of Link made of darkness wielding similar weapons as well as lasers?"

"It's… not exactly unheard of." Zelda's gentle voice was marred with exhaustion, a combination of the grand amount of fun she had been having at the ball and the burst of research she had done as soon as she heard about the situation. "From what I've been able to gleam from the notes I have on the Sheikah Slate, there have been tales of the Calamity Ganon using similar tactics in legends. When the hero was too strong for the Calamity to handle, then he called upon a mirror image forged in darkness to do battle in his steed. Matched in every way, their battles were long and harsh until the hero, inevitably, came out victorious. I suppose this time, that has taken form as a… Dark Link."

"Except, unless the boy can suddenly fire lasers from his body, then they're not exactly evenly matched." Ironwood rebutted, Link begrudgingly giving a nod. Sure, he was right, but he didn't have to be so callous about it.

The closest he could get was his ancient arrows and for all the power they held, they were still arrows and flew at that sort of speed. The only alternative was to utilise the guns that everyone held, and they didn't exactly hold the power needed to damage the darkness.

"So basically, the only thing we have to go off is legends and even then, we're still in the disadvantage." The general spat out in disgust. Disgust at what, neither Link nor Zelda were too sure. "Look, when you first brought me into this, I was expecting a special emergency, not a siege from creatures we can't even hurt that are stronger than the Grimm. We can't just keep ignoring what's right in front of us, they're clearly connected at this point!"

"But we still lack the required evidence to support that connection. After all, the description we have states that the creature connected to this 'Dark Link' makes it out to be the greatest evil in Hyrule's entire history." Ozpin calmly countered. "I know all too well that when one earns that kind of moniker, they don't do too well with handling co-operation. They operate by themselves and reap all of the rewards."

"Either way, we need to do something, and fast. If we're seen doing nothing, then we're going to be blasted by the entirety of Remnant. This isn't something we can keep discrete like everything else." Said Ironwood. "Miss Rose mentioned something about a hideout? In the south east? I say we bolster our forces, send them down there, find out what's going on and eradicate anything that gets in our way."

"Oh that's a ridiculous idea and you know it!" Glynda immediately snapped, the blonde standing with all the energy she could muster. "The moment we have a single hint, you want to send the whole cavalry in! Why must your answer to everything involve a triumphant display of military might? You treat every situation like it's a contest of measuring dic-!"

"Glynda. Need I remind you that there is a princess in the room?" Ozpin's remark had Glynda colouring a similar red to Zelda, a palm quickly meeting the assistant headmistress' face. It was too late and she was too tired to care at this point.

"Regardless of the rather… callous manner of speech, her point still stands. If we take the worst case scenario and assume that the Calamity truly has teamed up with another evil, you would be sending your men against monsters they cannot defeat. We have no idea how many Blights remain." Zelda declared with a frown. "No matter how cold you may turn your heart in the name of victory, you would be sending innocent warriors to their graves."

…But the military idea is not without merit.

"I assume by that statement you have a plan, Link?" Ozpin questioned, the knight looking to the ground, deep in thought. "I need not remind you of the dangers of approaching this recklessly. If this truly is part of some master plan where we know not the final move, we mustn't be so bold, yet neither should we allow panic to spread."

Link's answer was to pull out an Ancient Sword of his own, placing it down on Ozpin's desk. With a small glance for permission, the headmaster took it into his hands, marvelling silently at how light the weapon was. It barely even looked like a weapon in its deactivated state. Yet it could do more damage to the darkness than their own weapons could ever hope to.

There had been few in Hyrule who had been able to decipher how the ancient Sheikah technology functioned. The Ancient Sword in Ozpin's hands had been produced by a machine produced in a time far gone, the operator barely able to comprehend how to make it function, let alone how it worked. Unlike in Hyrule however, the technology of Remnant was far more advanced; if there was any chance of them deciphering how it functioned, then it would be here. If they could…

"…Then we would also be able to alter their designs and make something that could rival Dark Link." Zelda concluded, a thoughtful expression coming over the princess. "But our access to ancient Sheikah technology has been completely cut off in this world. If someone dissembles it and fails to recreate it, then you're down a weapon Link."

Knowing that there was someone on the same skill level than him and better armed meant that it was finally time to take the risk.

* * *

" **YOU RETURN FROM COMBAT…"** It was an obvious greeting from Dark Link's master as the shadow fell to his knees.

While an ordinary human would be hard pressed to tell the difference in his being thanks to his darkness infused composition, his master had been the one to birth Dark Link. He had crafted the shadow of the hero down to the smallest molecule, deconstructing and reforming the creature Dark Link had once been. Even the smallest of changes wouldn't go unnoticed by his lord, especially considering how despite his size, he was still far more intelligent than many of this world.

"Indeed, my Lord. While I was observing one of the puppets of the woman who opposes you, Cinder Fall, I found the opportunity to sabotage her advances. Her plan has been disturbed." Dark Link answered, his head bowed.

It may not have been much, but it was still good news in Dark Link's eyes. The being known as Salem was the only one who could reasonably pose a true threat in this world save for the hero and his princess; surely any opportunity to weaken her stance in Remnant could only be met with praise however small?

" **YOU FOOL…!"** the thunderous roar of his master caused Dark Link to flinch back, met by burning eyes of blood red.

Were he any closer, the servant would've no doubt been eviscerated in a single blow by the sheer power emanating off his master, his anger given form in horrific flames dancing across his being. Even a single touch would cause an immense amount of damage far beyond anything Cinder Fall could dream to conjure. If he hadn't lacked the proper functions to do so, Dark link would've no doubt been sweating in his master's proximity.

" **WE HAD NOT YET GIVEN REASON FOR THAT WOMAN TO INTERFERE…YOUR ACTIONS HAVE BROUGHT UPON US UNNEEDED ATTENTION…! YOU WERE MEANT TO OBSERVE, NOT FIGHT LIKE A WILD ANIMAL…!"** he continued, his shadow writhing in pure anger. Should Dark Link's master continue to do so, the servant felt as if the walls would come crashing down from the power at any moment. **"I MUST CONSOLIDATE MY STRENGTH…! I NEED NO ATTACKS ON MY BEING BEFORE I…! WWWRRRRAAAGGGHHHH!**

His master… this was the first time Dark Link had ever witnessed something so incredibly insane. Before, there wouldn't been nowhere near enough power coursing through his body to generate such a murderous aura, yet Dark Link was forced to bow his head against the ground. Any attempt at all to try and stand was met with absolute failure – that was the level of anger his master felt towards him.

"M-my Lord! I d-did this for y-y-your sa-sake!" Dark Link weakly tried to argue, cursing himself. he was a creation of the darkness, a being unrivalled by any save for his master. How could he be reduced to nought but mere stuttering and shaking? "Y-you wanted them w-weakened! I-I h-have weakened her!"

Suddenly, the most absurd feeling came over Dark Link.

The horrid pain of a thousand bugs biting through his flesh wracked Dark Link's arm, the shadow hesitantly raising his right limb to see the darkness literally dripping off him like a foul facsimile of blood. A strangled cry escaped the servant when all of a sudden, the whole arm decided to explode in a gruesome mess of artificial flesh, only to converge once more and reassemble itself into an arm again.

It wasn't an isolated experience either, his leg quickly joining in exploding before painfully reforming into a limb, his entire core feeling as if some wild beast was tearing him apart for food. The sensation of constantly being blown up, only to go through the agonising of reforming again was enough o make Dark Link lose his voice. No matter how he tried to dissuade his master, there was nothing that could be done as his head was completely eviscerated, looking almost undamaged a mere moment later.

Any normal person would've died a thousand deaths, their body shutting down from the sheer levels of pain alone. Had his body not been forming of the very substance that surrounded them both, then the walls would be stained red with the blood and flesh that was eviscerated with every piece of Dark Link that exploded. To simultaneously go through the sensation of having a bomb forced into your core and to be live food for savage ripping teeth… it felt like an eternity of endless torture, one that Dark Link's master decided to drag out for as long as possible.

Despite the amount of enjoyment his master was gaining through the terrifying torture, it was a punishment – he was trying to make a point, not playing. Besides, it didn't matter whether Dark link was one of the strongest creations he had the fortune of creating, the suffering he had been put through to that point was definitely enough to ensure his displeasure had come across.

Dark Link collapsed to the ground as soon as the pain faded, his body tense as he waited for the next part of his body to detonate. Would it be his ribs? His bladder? The entirety of his spinal cord? No, his master was a creative being, there would be no need to repeat any of the areas he had blown up before. It was only after a few moments of silence that Dark Link gained the courage to look up to his master, words failing him.

It was made only worst when a demonic claw reached out, digging deep into the darkness that made Dark Link's body. With a choking grasp around the power that acted as Dark Link's heart, his master gradually moved face to face with him, the burning sensation of his breath far too close to Dark Link's face.

" **MY ORDERS ARE NOT TO BE QUESTIONED… YOU ARE TO DO WHAT YOU ARE TOLD AND NOTHING ELSE…"** his master growled. **"NEXT TIME YOU RUIN MY PLANS, YOU WILL BE DESTROYED AND REFORGED… UNDERSTAND?"**

"O-of course…"

Admittedly, it was a rather excessive punishment for such a simple demeanour, especially one that wasn't done with malicious intent. A mere warning would've been enough to get across his feelings to the whole situation and with Dark Link being his own personal creation, it would've been more than enough to ensure that the same mistake was not made again.

But like any naughty child, it was better to beat out any bad behaviour as soon as possible in a way that meant they would never even attempt to make the same mistake. Now, any time such thoughts passed through his creation's mind, Dark link would immediately be reminded of the pain and suffering such actions had resulted in and banish such thoughts immediately. It was a cruel, abusive manner in which to do it, but it no less ensured loyalty from his most important servant.

Now that the ordeal was over with, he could now devote time to figuring out what he would have to alter about his plan. Dark Link wasn't exactly wrong when he said he had weakened their opponents; from what little his servant had been able to witness, Cinder Fall had been sent to interfere with the technology of the tower she was found in, no doubt in order to assert control over it at a later time.

Hmph. Using the technology of the people against them. Where had he heard a plan like that before?

Had Dark Link been successful in killing Cinder Fall or had allowed their plans to succeed and then reversed whatever actions they took, then he might've let his servant off. After all, the former would've permanently removed a player from the chessboard and the latter would make them believe their plan was in motion and leave them vulnerable when it inevitably all fell apart. As it was now however, the puppet would no doubt be blabbing everything she knew to her puppeteer and healing herself, ready for the next battle.

Even worse, the hero and the princess had been present and seen Dark Link. That meant he had exposed himself to all of their enemies and it was only the servant's superior existence over the humans and Hylians that prevented his master from letting the people destroy Dark Link. If they did, they could be lulled into a sense of false calm, ripe for the picking.

Still, he could work with this. He, who had been named the Calamity for his intelligence and ruthless strategies, who had held an iron grip over Hyrule for a hundred years, who had gone unchallenged for so long – he could recover this plan. It didn't matter if there were people aware of their existence, it didn't matter if they were actively trying to mount their defences and act cautiously. No matter the actions they took, he was still the Calamity and all would fall before his darkness!

" **I STILL HAVE USE FOR YOU…!"** he growled at Dark Link.

The Calamity could feel the bugs crawling outside.

* * *

Frost gave a yawn as she snacked down, her entire day pretty much being a boring slog until she could finally reach her lunch hour.

That was the thing with this period of the school year. With everyone disappearing for whatever mission assignments they received, there was nothing left for the blacksmiths of the school to do until everyone came back. While there would certainly be a huge influx of requests and orders once they all came back and she probably wouldn't get a single wink of sleep for ages, it was at the cost of a complete lull until then.

It didn't help that she was one of the better blacksmiths that Beacon had to offer. No matter how many times she tried to request she be allowed to take on more work, it was believed that she was better reserved for larger scale operations or requests that the common workshop staff couldn't handle. It meant that Frost had been lucky enough to work with some of the most creative and complex weapon systems anyone on Remnant probably would ever see in their lives, but it also meant a lot of time was spent on reserve as the average staff took the usual workload. She was made for the anvil, not the office desk!

"Hmm?" Frost perked up the moment she heard the doors opening, quickly rising from her lying position upon her desk. She had already done a scan of the area and none of the other blacksmiths had left anything behind, so it couldn't be any of them… the rumour mill hadn't been talking about any of the students remaining behind either… maybe the teachers, but the ones who hadn't been used as leaders for the students' assignments were usually the ones who only ever used their weapons once in a blue moon, the likelihood of that was also low. "Hey, over here! How can I help ya!?"

"Ah, Miss Frost!" an elegant voice replied, Frost giving a small snort as she saw the two blondes in blue approach her. There was only ever one person she met who referred to her as Miss Frost after the first meeting, one person who had been quite the common sight in the workshop in recent times. "I assume you've been keeping yourself busy Miss Frost? I'm afraid some recent issues have prevented me from coming as frequently as I would like."

"Are you kiddin' Zelda? The people up top have me sittin' like a doll on the shelf." The blue haired blacksmith scoffed as she took the Princess' hand in a vigorous shake. "Still, gotta be positive. Without you around, my men have actually done their work without gawking at your pretty arse all day!"

Link's eyebrow rose. There was hardly anyone who treated Zelda in such a callous casual manner – even among the unaware students and teachers, there was always a certain level of respect that had never been crossed. Link liked to believe that the Princess had a special aura that simply commanded the respect a royal such as herself deserved, even if she wasn't fully aware of it all the time. This however? It was almost on the same level as the way Daruk acted, not that he would ever have the confidence to refer to Zelda's… body as her 'pretty arse'.

"Ah, lighten up big boy. S'not like I'm any different with anyone." Frost was quick to reassure, letting the back of her hand slap against the Hylian knight's shoulder. Despite a rather lithe frame, her strength was worthy of a blacksmith. Then again, there were plenty of toned girls in beacon who could throw punches just as hard as some of the more burly men Link was used to. "Zelda, this the guy you always tellin' me 'bout? He really is as sexy as you said."

"W-wha-? I've never said that to you at all!" Zelda loudly objected, a brilliant blush decorating her face as a pout appeared on her lips.

Link didn't need to hear the raucous laughter of the blacksmith as he rolled his eyes. In all of the years that Link had known the princess, she had never been anything less than the pinnacle of grace and maturity, despite her brief moments of innocence such as now. The likelihood of Zelda stooping as low as to gossip about how sexy he was to other women was rather low… he thought. Zelda occasionally enjoyed time alone with the girlfriends she made; as a guy, who knew what they did during those times?

"Link, this is Miss Frost, the head of the blacksmiths in this workshop." Zelda eventually managed to introduce when she got control over her blush, though her voice still retained the small amount of fluster the blonde felt. "When I've been doing my research, I've been fortunate enough to be granted access to the workshop so I can see how the various weapons function, to maybe understand more of our own. Miss Frost has answered every question I've had, to my gratitude. Miss Frost, this is Link, my greatest companion."

"Psh, no need to be so modest. If I have even one student as interested as you, I could die a happy woman." Frost said with a shake of her head. "Not everyone's lucky enough to get access to some of the best in the business. If I was in your shoes, I'd squeeze 'em for everything they've got as well. Now, I doubt you're here for just a talk, there's plenty of better company. So? Whatcha need?"

The response came from Link as he settled down what appeared like nothing more than a weird sword handle, Frost's eyebrow rising as she took the offered item. It was light, outrageously light, yet there was something in there, something she just couldn't make out…

"Wait a sec… how do I activate this thing?" Frost muttered, scanning the handle as closely as possible.

It would take a moment, but when she finally did find the near invisible switch, the blue haired blacksmith had to give a small nod to whoever created the item. It was such an incredibly small detail that one's fingers would probably naturally come across when drawing the blade; the design meant that people would instinctively activate the sword and unleash the blue energy blade that suddenly appeared before Frost's eyes the moment they pulled the weapon out for combat.

"…Nice lookin' toy you have here. I'd love to work on a beast like this. Seems like there's quite a few treasures to pluck out of here." Frost muttered as she gave a light swing. It was like working with a toy, that was how light it was.

Any thoughts of it being like a toy were immediately destroyed at the same time as a stray block of iron was.

"…Yep, ain't seen nothin' like this. Wouldn't happen to have a blueprint or somethin'?"

"Actually, we were hoping you might be able to help us forge one." Zelda spoke, Frost sitting on her desk with a thoughtful expression. "See, where we come from, these weapons are actually crafted by ancient technology, technology so ancient that we have no clue how they came to be. We were hoping with a few specimens, you would be able to replicate them and figure out how they function."

"Ancient tech? You mean like before dust?" Frost replied. It would explain why there was no functionality in the weapon for working in conjunction with the material. Then again, any weapon replicas _she_ had seen from that time period were usually incredibly basic swords, shields and the like, nothing so obviously advanced. So how was it powered if it didn't function with dust? "Now that's a new one. You don't think you're better off having a historian hold onto this? I pull it apart and can't piece it back together, you've got nothin' but a broken artefact."

There was no need to worry about that. They already had other examples for people to preserve and to try and conduct research on. This one was one of the few they could sacrifice to try and figure out how it worked. They needed this to be successful and who better to turn to than a personal recommendation from Professor Ozpin?

"Well, that at least explains why he mysteriously emptied my schedule." Frost sighed, palming her face before a smirk took place. "Not like I had much to do anyway. Something tells me this will be way more fun than whatever bull the prof' would've thrown at me. You stickin' around?"

"If you would be so kind." Zelda declared, a small grin appearing on her own face.

Well, if Zelda was staying, then there wasn't much else to do at the moment.

"Nice! Then I'll get to work right away!" Frost cheered, leading the way back into the main workshop. With every tool in the area available there was nothing they couldn't try to crack open the secrets to the ancient technology. "Course, don't think it'll be much of an issue figuring out how the mechanisms work. Don't seem to be much worse than your typical foldin' weapon. Real issue we need to crack is the power source. How do you make energy sharp and stable like that? Then, how do you stick in a puny little thing like that?"

The remark made Link suddenly remember, reaching into the depths of everything he held before a small triumphant sound escaped him.

Frost had no idea how to react when she was met by Link throwing what appeared to be a stick at her, only to see the small ring behind the metallic section and give it a tug. Watching as the arrowhead opened up and revealed its sharpened point, Frost felt her eyes bulge – there was barely anywhere for a power source strong enough to produce the energy portion, it was even worse than the sword situation!

"Well, I see why it would puzzle people. There's nothin' I've heard of that can do anything like that in such a small package." Frost groaned, throwing the arrow onto the workbench alongside the sword, careful to deactivate it before she left another hole in part of her workshop. "Still, I agreed to help you out and if I'm going to be defeated by a measly arrow and sword, I'll eat my boots!"

There was a fire to Frost that reassured Link – so long as they had such a spirited woman fighting to figure out the ancient Sheikah technology, then there was no way they could possibly fail to find anything. All the knight had to do was leave any of the real complex stuff to the girls and then everything would be alright.

Just as he was about to sit back though, a shot of pain smashed through his skull, Link reaching up to his forehead with a near indistinguishable grunt. It was a familiar pain, one that he had experienced before, but there had been no wounds that could cause this kind of distress, not that Link had received recently. No, the only time he had ever received pain on the same level as this was when…!

" _Link? Link, can you hear me?"_

He did not recognise that voice.


	15. Day on the Glenn Railroad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On railways and recreations.

" _Look around and tell me what you see."_

" _I see lives that could have been saved. As a huntsman, it is my job to protect the people, and although I am capable of doing it with traditional weaponry, I believe I can make a much larger impact if I do it with my mind. As a teacher, I'm able to take knowledge, the most powerful weapon of them all, and place it in the hands of every student that passes through my classroom. I look at this wasteland, and I see lives that could have been saved, but I also see an opportunity; an opportunity to study these ruins and learn from this tragedy, and therefore become stronger."_

" _I am a huntsman, Ruby, because there is nothing else in this world I would rather be."_

Ruby had been pondering those words for a while now as she floated.

Dr Oobleck, for all of the stick he received for his near indecipherable speech and strange mannerisms, had shown himself to be the true definition of a huntsman. He had taken what he was most skilled at and found a way to maximise the amount of assistance he could give to humanity. What was the point of saving a hundred people and seeing the others die when you could prepare a hundred people to save a hundred and ensure nobody perished? The strange doctor had shot up Ruby's list of people to look up to.

Compared to him, Ruby was just… a child. She wasn't smart, she wasn't some sort of super-strong fighter, she wasn't even really meant to be in Beacon yet. She was a child that had gotten lucky and was being forced into a situation that she wasn't prepared for. Ruby had entered Beacon with visions of a hero saving the day, defeating the bad, mindless Grimm and living happily ever after; she was living a fairy tale.

She hadn't known that the Grimm could grow in intelligence. What would've happened if she had shot one of those Goliaths, managed to attract the whole horde towards their direction? Well, Ruby knew the answer to that – she was sitting in Mountain Glenn after all, the result of an expansion gone horribly wrong. If an entire city's worth of defences resulted in abandoned ruins crushed by time and monsters, a single girl and her sniper rifle weren't going to do much. They all would've perished there and then.

And then Ruby had to go and fall into that cave thing, a cave thing that just so happened to have the White Fang sitting inside, ready to meet her. If she had just yelled to Zwei to kick down Crescent Rose, she wouldn't have to deal with half of the mess she was in now. At that point, all she could do was run around like a headless chicken and give a few weak punches that barely did anything before being knocked out for the count with a few hits.

At least, that was what she remembered happening. She certainly didn't remember there being any water for her to fall in.

Neither did she remember there ever being a giant robot elephant spraying water all over the place, nor the elegantly designed construct shining in the distance, its magnificence matching that of a grand palace beneath the waterfalls.

Ruby let out a sigh. Even if she had no idea where she was or how she got there, the water _was_ kind of soothing. She hadn't come across many chances to go swimming ever since she came to Beacon and it had always been a fun time with Yang whenever the summer holidays came around. If she wasn't on such an important mission and hadn't come across the White Fang, maybe she wouldn't mind simply staying and resting…

"Yes, the waters are quite soothing, aren't they?"

"Whoa, fish lady!" the huntsman cried out, floundering awkwardly in the water as the crimson figure arose from the depths with a demure giggle. Without her weapon resting upon her hip, ruby was just as defenceless against the 'fish lady'.

Admittedly, however, just referring to her as 'fish lady' was hardly doing her appearance justice. Though there were certainly aquatic features to her body, the girl's head taking on a shark's tail like a ponytail and fins upon her body ready to propel her through the waters, the silver jewellery adoring her body made her look more like a mermaid princess. Her form was lithe and flexible, a figure that any huntress would be jealous of, yet there was no doubt a bite behind the beauty – quite literally thanks to the fangs that glinted within her smile.

"I would prefer the term Zora, but it is certainly not the first time I've been referred to as 'fish lady'." The red arrival remarked, Ruby calming herself down enough to at least stop producing such turbulent waves in the water. "I remember when Link was but a tiny boy frolicking in these very waters, his reactions were very much the same as yours."

"Oh, rea-wait, you know Link?" Ruby asked, her swimming pausing for a second. The only issue with that was, it meant that she was no longer keeping herself afloat, resulting in awkward hacking and wheezing thanks to the water that entered her mouth. "Ack! Sorry, sorry! A fish – Zora, knows Link? Am I just dreaming? Ooh, do I get to control things now that I know I'm dreaming? Can we teleport to the elephant robot?"

"You mean Vah Ruta?" the Zora replied, turning to face the massive mecha in the distance. "I'm afraid that it would be too dangerous to approach. While the Calamity may not be an issue in Hyrule for now, our weapons must always be ready to defend the Kingdom."

Almost as if it could sense her will, Vah Ruta turned with a mighty cry, every step sending tremors through the waters as its trunk rose. Even with the distance that it had, some of the water that sprayed out managed to reach their position, but Ruby cared little about that. No, she was far too amazed by the rainbow that formed in the air.

"…Oh my gosh, it's amazing!" Ruby gushed. The number of materials and expertise that would be needed to create such a complex machine was immense, let alone the work that would make such a creation act as lifelike as Vah Ruta did. It may not have looked like a traditional weapon, but who cared about those stupid humanoid suits when you could have a giant war elephant robot? "I haven't seen anything like it! Are you sure we can't visit it?! Pretty please dream lady!?"

"I'm afraid not young Ruby. After all, we don't have time to play or talk about Link's past, however much I may wish to. I need to tell you something." The Zora explained, Ruby tilting her head in confusion. "The truth will soon be revealed and when it is, you and your team will have to fight valiantly to prevent darkness from overwhelming the world. Do you think you can do that?"

"Of course! That's why we're huntsmen!" Ruby replied with a grin, placing her hand upon her arm. It wasn't exactly much muscle, as she had been so wonderfully reminded of before, but that didn't mean she was just skin and bones. "I mean, things are getting way weirder than I thought they would be, but we're just gonna have to face it head-on. That's what the heroes do, right?"

"What the heroes do… yes, I suppose your right." The Zora parroted quietly, a beautiful smile appearing upon her face. "You and Link are more alike than I first thought. I'm quite fortunate that I was the one who got to talk to you. No offence to the one of white, but I don't think I would've been the best for her."

"The one of White? You mean Weiss? So the others have experienced something like this?" Ruby questioned, only to feel a strange suction coming from beneath.

Like a drain unplugged, Ruby felt herself being pulled down, barely able to keep herself afloat while the pull was only growing in strength. Yet somehow, it had no effect on the Zora, who merely watched the whole debacle with a sad smile.

"Yes, time is up. Your moment of unconsciousness was lighter than the others." The Zora muttered, completely uncaring for the situation that Ruby was in, sinking beneath the waters. "Remember this well, one of red. When the final battle comes, it is pivotal that you stand beside Link and the princess. You all have your part to play in the coming conflict and without your assistance, the world will never be the same. And…"

"Tell Link I love him."

* * *

Ruby awoke to the sound of explosions and the fervent cries of the White Fang, her captors having disappeared to no doubt try and find out what the problem was. Shaking her head with a light groan, she rose from the hard stone beneath her, trying to regain her bearings.

"Right, okay… underground, in a train full of weapons, White Fang everywhere, couple of mechas." the black and red huntsman muttered, silver eyes clearing up slightly as she stood.

Apparently, her captors had decided that no bindings were necessary with Ruby unconscious, meaning nothing was stopping her from walking out into the light, her semblance allowing her to easily flash by into the shadows and watch the approaching carnage.

For all of the fear they inspired, the White Fang never really were skilled fighters. A remnant from their more peaceful days, the men and women that made up the movement were usually nothing more than disgruntled common folk who had been given a weapon and taught the basics. When up against an insurmountable wall like an angered Yang, there was very little their puny guns could do to stop her.

Wait…

"Yang!"

"Wha!? How did she escape!? Kill her!" Ruby felt her steps falter slightly at that voice, a voice she recognised all too well as she turned back to see Roman aiming his cane in her direction.

He wasn't alone either, a whole squadron of guns aimed at her back and already firing her way. If it weren't for her aura and incredible speed, she would no doubt have more holes than cheese. Ruby couldn't die there however; her team was too close and her mind filled with too much weird information that she _had_ to survive!

And it seemed like she was going to, at least until ruby recognised the men in front of her were also ready to fire and with the speed she was moving at, there was no way she could stop in time to avoid the bullets.

Thank goodness that another explosion rocked the area, sending the goons in every direction as Yang let out a huff and cocked Ember Celica. For the black-haired girl, there could've been no better sight, Ruby rushing to capture Yang in the biggest hug possible.

"Ruby, you're okay!" Yang cooed as she hugged her sister closer, uncaring for the small creaking noise that seemed to come from Ruby's back. "When you disappeared, we had no idea if you were still alive or not! All we had to go off was Zwei and Crescent Rose just abandoned on the ground!"

"I'm fine, I'm fine! But listen, Torchwick's down here and he's got a whole bunch of different weapons and stuff! We're talking guns, mecha things, all sorts – they're loaded on the train cars and I think they're going to try and move!" Ruby listed off, giving a relieved smile as Blake handed over Crescent Rose. No matter what, she would never lose her scythe again; being without it was just too much of a pain to bear.

"Move? Impossible, there's nowhere to move to." Doctor Oobleck muttered, looking down towards the tunnel Ruby had just run from. "All of the tunnels are sealed, the tracks lead to a dead end. There's no point in trying to transport anything through here!"

" _Get to your places! We're moving!"_

"Well, it doesn't seem to matter to them!" Yang retorted, pulling her fists back with a growl. "We need to get after that train and figure out what they're trying to do."

"Right, then the path forward is clear. Girls, I trust you have the capabilities to pull through." Oobleck intoned gravely, taking a sip from his thermos before it was a mad dash towards the tracks.

Fortunately, with the train only just starting up, it wasn't too difficult to make it onto the moving vehicle. With Ruby's semblance happily helping her teammates reach speeds they frankly weren't comfortable with and Weiss using her Glyphs to speed the doctor along, they were able to knock out the first of the White Fang crewmen in a matter of moments.

Team RWBY would come to realise fairly quickly that the people on board were hardly the issue however as they gazed down into the carriage, Weiss being the first to speak.

"Professor…"

"Doctor."

"…What's that?"

"That my dear… appears to be a bomb." The doctor's remark was disturbingly calm when he observed the metallic construct regardless of the fear that wracked through the girls' bodies. It was only made even worse when the rest of the train decided that now was the time to make their appearance, guns ready as they ran across the rooftops. "Well, it wasn't as if I expected them to go easy on us. Give me a moment and I might be able to deactivate the bomb, prevent them from…"

His words were interrupted by a steady beeping, the screen upon the bomb glowing an eerie red. The green-haired professor sighed, lifting his glasses so he could rub his eyes.

"…Activating. Time to go! Blake, detach the caboose!"

But there wasn't any need, for the moment that Blake drew back Gambol Shroud to strike the connection, the carriage seemingly detached itself, falling back as the force pulling it forward petered out. Thank goodness too, for the Faunus wouldn't have wanted to be so close when the explosion rocked the entire track, blowing clean holes through the nearby walls and the ground beneath.

"What!? Professor, we've got more trouble!" Ruby's voice called out as Blake lifted herself back onto the train's roof, Dr Oobleck staring gravely towards where the first bomb had detonated.

 _First_ bomb, for as Ruby discovered to her horror, not only did the next carriage appear to hold on as well, but every single carriage in the entire goddamn train. With the White Fang steadily approaching from in front and the carriages detaching and exploding from the back, the amount of space they had to think was growing woefully low.

"Get the humans!" one of them cried and with that, the legions of men and women started to charge forward, team RWBY preparing their weapons for combat.

"You're going down!" Yang yelled kicking the legs out from underneath one particularly unfortunate man, outwardly laughing as a shotgun shell from her golden gauntlets sent him shooting down into the carriage below.

Blake, not to be outdone, rushed forth too, the darkest of team RWBY disappearing in a flash of black. Not for too long, however, for Blake quickly reappeared on the other side of the carriage, the White Fang members looking to her in confusion before a tremendous pain cut through their bodies and they too were out for the count.

Weiss didn't even need to directly attack anyone, merely dashing through the centre and avoiding all of their attacks to their confusion. That confusion rapidly changed to understanding; with the train's roof being so narrow, when the power of Weiss' glyphs and dust combined erupted into a veritable mountain of ice spikes, a huge number of the henchmen were thrown off the sides, Weiss slapping another off for good measure.

And Ruby, well, the men were already pretty much lined up for her. With a pair of shots fusing with her semblance to accelerate her to an unbelievable speed, it was a surprise that she didn't accidentally bisect anyone as she shot through the henchmen. With a scythe as strong as Crescent Rose moving at such a speed, there was no way any of those men would be standing up soon.

If you were to just go off that, you wouldn't be mistaken for thinking that luck was shining on their team. The sounds of repeated explosions, however, would prove how wrong that form of thinking was, joined by the feral growls of the Grimm that crawled in through every nook and cranny they could find.

Dr Oobleck gazed upon the sight with growing horror; once the train truly did reach its dead end, there would be only very little preventing the massive horde from reaching Vale and even if they didn't manage to get into the city, he and team RBWY would still be trapped with the monsters fighting for their lives.

"He's leading Grimm into the city! He's making holes for the Grimm to come through, this trail is going to barrel straight through the barricade!" the green-haired man yelled, the girls barely able to believe their ears.

"That's insane! Torchwick is going to kill everyone on this train and in the city!" Blake realised. with the speed that they were going and from what she had learnt about the barricades in Mountain Glenn, the chances of them being able to survive a collision was questionable at best. Combine that with a disturbing number of bombs and their life expectancy had just dropped dramatically. "We have to hurry!"

"You three, go down below and try to deactivate the bombs! Your leader and I shall stop this train once and for all!"

"Right!"

* * *

Ruby tried her best to suppress a gasp; the mechanical armours that had once been sitting dormant were now stomping in their direction, weapons priming as their wielders locked onto her, Oobleck and Zwei. The trouble they had gone through taking down one was still fresh in her mind and with the number before her and lack of assistance, it was going to be even more difficult.

What she failed to realise was that Zwei and Dr Oobleck made for an incredibly efficient duo, the green-haired man smirking as he drank the final amount of coffee in his thermos. With no more liquid within, Oobleck could pull the trigger, morphing the thermos into a more combat-ready form as the canister was filled with coffee grounds.

One might not expect that to be all too helpful for anything over than quenching his near insatiable thirst for coffee, but it was a little known fact that coffee grounds made for an excellent fire starter. It was only made even more fierce with the fuel soaked into them, a burst of flame escaping the end of the transformer thermos as Zwei prepared himself.

The little dog leapt into the air, flipping with the ease of a practised gymnast. It had originally been a simple party trick, something for a young Ruby and Yang to show off to their friends whenever they were allowed to bring Zwei into school or they could come round. Here though, it made him the perfect missile as Oobleck batted the dog away, a flaming meteor that easily shot through the robot and destroyed it in a single blow.

Zwei landed at the foot of another, the second mecha preparing to fire down at the defenceless animal until a series of fireballs collided with its visual interface, Oobleck flying through the air to smack the machine directly in the pilot's cockpit and send it into the walls. Considering that the train was moving and the walls weren't, the robot soon was little more than rubble scattered across the ground, forgotten in the distance.

A trembling in the ground had the youngest member of team RWBY pause, as did the doctor. With the issues they were currently going through, of course there would be something else to join them. The only problem was…

" _ **WHO DISTURBS MY SLUMBER!?"**_

Additional Grimm would've been troublesome, yet acceptable. Reinforcements for the White Fang would only be able to do so much against the far more trained huntsmen of team RWBY and Dr Oobleck. If it were the rest of the tunnel collapsing on itself, the huntsmen probably would've been able to find a way to escape being crushed. Any of those possible scenarios flashed before the doctor's eyes, every one of them awkward, yet workable so long as they kept their wits and a healthy dose of luck.

Instead, something that Dr Oobleck couldn't imagine decided to rear its ugly head, quickly followed by a second.

At first, they were nothing more than shadows, tumultuous clouds of indescribable substance that writhed disgustingly in the air as they flew towards the train. The longer that they chased the train however, the more the darkness surrounding them faded away and revealed their true forms.

The first appeared like a cybernetic bear fused with the might of a mammoth, mechanical tusks jutting asymmetrically out of a distorted roaring face. The sheer muscle mass of the creature was near incomprehensible, an incredibly huge muscular body being sustained by limbs relatively small with wheels accelerating the creature forward.

It might not have been _that_ bad if it weren't for the way it reared back on its back legs, raising its front wheels and releasing the energy held within to form saw blades with a horrific screech. With the metal protection covering the majority of its body, it was clear that it would take more than a few shots from Crescent Rose to bring it down.

The other shot from wall to wall, inhumanely long limbs slithering about like demented snakes as they pursued the vehicle. Everywhere the hands touched, twisted vines and other flora and fauna began to form, digging deep into the metal and steel that made up the tunnel looking for any source of sustenance.

The creature itself looked like pure shadow shaped into several different kinds of snakes and forcibly attached, each limb and the main body acting almost as if they were entirely separate beings. Whereas its fellow creature of darkness was heavily protected and mechanical, there was very little cybernetic technology covering the lanky monster, yet it didn't mean the blasts from Ember Celica were felt.

Dr Oobleck, realising very quickly that his flames were doing little to deter the monsters as they gradually approached the train, could only do one thing. Turning back to the girls, he ran as fast as he possibly could, ushering them to the front of the train, only to find something even worse was about to approach.

"We're going to collide!" the green-haired professor cried, the steel doors at the end of the train tracks coming closer at an alarming rate. While they were more than enough to keep the odd stray Grimm from entering the city, a full-speed locomotive and the menagerie of monsters following behind were something that they had never needed to face before. "Brace for impact!"

The last thought they had before their worlds were rocked in the worst way possible was the sight of ice wrapping around them all.

* * *

" _Link? Link, can you recognise me?"_

Well, no, but it wasn't the first time he had gone through this kind of mess. After all, there was the one who had given him the antidote rune, who had allowed him to rescue the Princess from death once more.

" _I see… then even if one hundred years have passed, I hope my name has not faded at least."_ The mysterious woman spoke in the hero's mind, a teasing tone entering the mature voice. _"I am the Golden Goddess Nayru of Wisdom. Though my sister, Farore of Courage, has already spoken to you, I fear Din of Power still slumbers."_

The names caused an audible gasp to escape Link, only barely managing to avoid the attention of the busy working girls beside him.

How could he ever forget those names? They were the beings to forge the very world, their powers bringing forth order and life in a barren universe wrought with chaos. The tales of their work were known to every child and from the records, had been told for years innumerable.

Din, with her strong flaming arms, cultivated the land and created the red earth. Nayru poured her wisdom onto the earth and gave the spirit of law to the world. Farore, with her rich soul, created all the living inhabitants in the world to uphold the law. Once that was done they granted portions of their power to the goddess Hylia, disappearing from the world. Their power was so great, it was said that the one time they returned, it was to flood the world they created to defeat a past incarnation of the Calamity.

Remembering that part didn't exactly inspire Link with confidence.

" _Do not fret, Link. We do not seek such drastic measures."_ Nayru whispered into his mind. _Even if we did wish to do as such, our powers are limited with this unexpected situation. It does not mean that we are useless, however; just as Farore had her gifts, so do I, which is why I have remained silent for so long. Call upon your runes, as you did for my sister."_

The Hylian knight didn't need any more prompting, bringing forth the Sheikah Slate and giving a small nod. Fortunately, there was a small area where there would be few issues with the portal that appeared, more food for Link to enjoy pouring down before the important treasure came.

"Whoa!" Frost jumped back at the sound of the metal treasure chest colliding with the floor, almost dropping the ancient sword in her hand. Though Zelda's reaction was similarly as startled, the blonde was at least somewhat calmed when she saw the Sheikah Slate in Link's hands.

"What are you doing Link? Wait… That bottle… isn't that how you managed to augment the Sheikah Slate before?" Zelda questioned when Link pulled out his prize, the blue liquid shimmering in the sunlight. Answered by a positive noise from the knight, a bright smile came across the princess' face as she clapped her hands together. "How fortunate! I've never witnessed anything like this before! I must take note of it!"

"… Not going to question where the chest came from? No, wait, you said this has happened before?" Frost said, shaking her head. "Fine. If you lot aren't going to question it, probably best for my head if I don't. Can't see how that stuff's gonna mess with a tablet…"

Luckily for the blue-haired woman, she got a first-hand view of the process, her scroll held in an eager Zelda's hands recording as Link carefully poured the precious liquid held within the bottle onto the screen of the Sheikah Slate.

Just as it had done before, the drops slowly began to swirl upon the screen, moving of their own volition to the delighted confusion of both frost and Zelda. As the bottle slowly emptied, a beautiful pattern began to form, gradually gaining clarity until the final drop met the Sheikah Slate and the liquid froze in place. Rather than green, however, the liquid quickly turned a deep navy before being absorbed into the machinery, the image of three small circles paired with crescents forming an icon for Link to access.

" _I have seen your plight and as a goddess of wisdom, I could not leave you in the darkness of ignorance,"_ Nayru explained in Link's mind. _"However, I do not have access to my power enough to simply grant you the knowledge you seek, nor would that be beneficial to you. Instead, I grant you this; so long as you have the materials necessary, you will be able to replicate weapons and items of a certain size. You need not worry about wasting your weapons in the pursuit of knowledge. Simply point it at the item you wish to replicate and provide the materials."_

That was… amazing. Though he had a limited number of ancient weapons on his person, his exploration and battles had gifted Link with a vast number of ancient materials: screws, bolts, cores and the like that Link couldn't even begin to comprehend, yet kept regardless. With a rune like this, then they would be able to make as many ancient weapons as needed for research!

" _Having used that much power, I must recover. Know that we are watching your journey, hero. There are perils ahead and though we aren't as powerful as we may be in Hyrule, we will still do our best to combat the darkness once and for all."_ Nayru muttered before the headache pervading Link's head faded, his expression softening. To know that goddesses were speaking through his mind… weird.

"That image… it's vaguely familiar." Zelda mused before a burst of inspiration flashed before her eyes. "No, I remember coming across it in an old religious document! The symbol of Nayru. That would explain why the other rune you unlocked seemed somewhat recognisable then, that was the symbol of Farore. And if two of your newest runes bear the images of the three golden goddesses, then…?"

Yeah. There was still the chance that the third goddess had a rune to give. Before they could think about that though, it was better to test out what their current rune could do.

"Of course. We would be best taking this outside." The Princess declared, only for Link's hand to shoot out and for the knight to shake his head. "Then you already have an idea of what it could do? Considering what some of the other runes are capable of, it wouldn't be wise to use it around so much sensitive machinery-!"

Before Zelda could finish her counter, however, Link had already begun his first experiment, withdrawing a large number of ancient materials from his stores, to the shock of Frost as she found her work surface suddenly covered. The sheer amount of materials was necessary though, at least for what Link hoped to achieve.

See, one thing that had caught his eye was a perfectly innocent-looking handbag, one that the Hylians had seen many times before. While recreating a handbag in and of itself would require very little in the way of materials, the incredibly complex mechanisms within that allowed it to take to the battlefield so effectively would be costly, to say the least.

The two girls were left stunned as Link pointed the Sheikah Slate at the handbag and activated the rune, a navy light reaching out to scan the weapon before the various ancient materials upon the table began to shiver and rattle.

Bits and pieces began to twist and turn, random additional materials from the surrounding area finding itself sucked into the miniature tornado forming upon the workshop table. With Zelda covering her eyes in alarm, she wasn't able to see how the various items began to come together with almost mechanical accuracy, reshaping and fusing as slowly but surely, a form began to appear.

"Okay, what just happened, what have you done?" Frost questioned as the materials settled into their place, leaving a completed product sitting innocently on the table. "…Oh, oh no. you're not telling me…?"

It wasn't _exactly_ the same as the first handbag, the materials used to construct it naturally resulting in a difference in colour and texture. What the replica lacked in luxury leathers and the finest metals, it replaced with a more rustic, lighter material holding it together, the emblem of the Hyrulian Royal Family stitched elegantly upon the side, studded with the same material that made up the handles of the various ancient weapons.

When Frost went to press the hidden trigger, conveniently in the same place as the original, however, a look of awe came over the smith's face. While the ammunition drum and the main body of the Gatling gun that appeared was constructed of the ancient metal, there appeared to be no barrels until they magically burst into existence in a glow of light.

"Okay, you just magically copied someone's weapon with completely different materials and absolutely no understanding of how it works. Nothing else, that's pretty impressive for a newbie like you." Frost muttered to herself in disbelief.

Turning to the open window and carefully ensuring no one was around, the blue-haired woman brought the barrels out to the open air and began to fire, whistling in admiration as a barrage of lasers were fired out. Returning the weapon to its original bag form, Frost followed by slamming the weapon onto a nearby block of metal, watching as it left a sizeable dent – exactly as the original would've.

Link looked to the rune in amazement, though it died down when he saw the timer blocking the rune. While it was certainly an impressive ability, having to wait three days before using the ability again was by far the longest timer out of any of his abilities. Considering just how useful the rune was though, such a long wait period could be tolerated.

"Hey, has maintenance finished?" Coco's voice called out, dying down when she caught a glimpse of Frost holding what could be at first her weapon. With narrowed eyes, the leader of team CFVY folded her arms. "Frost. I trust your skill, but you _did not redesign my weapon._ "

"Don't worry, Mr Big Shot over here's just managed to make a complete copy in no time at all. Gianduja's over there." Frost explained, flipping the replica in her hands between its gun and handbag forms. "Don't ask me how he did it. Still tryin' to come to terms with it myself."

"Excuse me? Are you trying to rip off my style?" Coco responded, picking up her version of the weapon and taking the replica out of Frost's hand. Indeed, to Coco's quiet disbelief, there was barely any difference in the handling of the weapon no matter how much their aesthetics differed. "Okay, you really did copy my weapon. Don't know why, but as long as you're not selling them, I can handle it. Still, Link – you're a really good combat teacher, but leave the design work to the professionals."

"Link, do you know what we could do with this? This is perfect for our plans!" Zelda gushed, grabbing her knight by the shoulders and almost shaking him in her excitement. "If we could dissect Coco's weapon and see how the various mechanisms work, we could compare them to the recreation and start to understand the various features! We could make tremendous breakthroughs!"

"Excuse me? I kinda need this weapon to fight. We may be back from our missions, but I'm not just letting it be toyed about with." The fashionista rejected, her expression wavering when she was suddenly faced with the full might of Zelda's pleading look. "Don't give me that. If you can get me another, then _maybe_ I _might_ consider it, but it's not exactly easy to make one of these."

"Link can just make you another one!"

"Not with those design skills he can't."

Before the argument could devolve any more however, the alarms began to ring. Not in the typical 'next lesson approaching' manner, but more the 'everything's about to go to war' frightening alarm. There was only ever one situation that warranted that alarm; high-risk situation, all hands required.

"See what I mean, kind of need Gianduja." Coco took a moment to remark before she was dashing off to meet with the rest of her team.

Zelda and Link only needed to share a look before they were ready to follow, only for Link to nearly buckle as he caught the heavy weapon from Frost. The blue-haired blacksmith only had one remark.

"Sounds like you could use all of the firepower you could get."


	16. Breach and birth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On... breaches and births.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those who have read this story before the 23rd of April 2020, Please make sure you read chapter 13 (Waltz of the wild). I had accidentally forgotten to upload that particular chapter until today. I must apologise for my blunder.

Ringing.

God, was that ringing annoying. As the world stopped spinning, Ruby gave a low groan; hopefully, the ringing would stop soon enough.

Trying to stand after hitting her head was hard enough without having to try and manoeuvre herself over the shattered pavement and wall beneath her, but the black-haired reaper was able to rise quickly enough. Patting herself down, ruby let out a relieved sigh; no major injuries, or at least nothing that needed attention right away. Weiss' ice barrier had done its job well.

"…Weiss! Everyone!" Ruby called out in alarm, answered by a trio of low groans as the rest of Team RWBY collected themselves. Rushing around to each of them, perhaps a little too fast if the small number of petals floating about said anything, the team leader was glad to find that they too were uninjured. "Thank goodness!"

"No issues? Good. I fear we'll need all of our strength." a voice muttered from the side, Ruby turning to see where Dr Oobleck was forced to dig himself out of the rubble they had made. Though she didn't want to admit it, Ruby had momentarily forgotten about their Professor. "Everyone, combat positions. We need to be ready for the incoming threat as soon as possible. Our arrival will no doubt have alerted the local authorities, we should receive back up any moment!"

Not that they would be given any time to arrive, the ruined remains of a train rumbling behind them as the only warning they had before a river of black burst out from behind. The huge number of Grimm that had been following wasn't going to sit idle after all, not when they had been forced into isolation for so long.

There had been many who had stopped to gawk and with fairly good reason. It wasn't every day that something erupted from the earth below in a shower of ice and rock, a train throwing a group of huntsmen out with al of its might. The noise alone would've been enough to bring spectators, but the sight was simply too strange to ignore.

Those very same people were now running for their lives as the wave of Grimm flowing out now sought their deaths, eagerly rampaging through the city streets. Most if not all had no way to fight back; already some had lost their lives, crushed underfoot or impaled with prejudice by the monsters. If team RWBY didn't act soon, it would be a massacre on another level.

So, they acted.

As a result of all the running she did, Ruby had incredibly strong legs; they were one of her secret pride points. A huge number of Ursa would learn that personally when they charged at the young girl, Crescent Rose stabbing into the ground and providing the perfect pivot for Ruby to throw herself into the air, kicking any who came too close with ferocious might.

One of those unfortunate Grimm found themselves flying towards Yang, a shotgun shell soon leaving a hole the blonde brawler could see through in its head.

Naturally, the Grimma around her grew all the more agitated with the death of one of their own, but with Yang using the recoil of Ember Celica to launch herself through the air, she was free to shoot at all of them.

It was unfortunate then that she found herself right in the flight path of several Nevermore, their sharp talons digging deep into Yang's back. though the huntress bit back her cry of pain, she couldn't help the yell of alarm as her flight was cut short, the Grimm throwing her to the ground without remorse.

Fortunately, Blake was just below ready to catch her, though Yang's weight brought both of them to the ground temporarily. Though the ground may have fractured under the force, neither of the girls were harmed.

The Creeps surrounding didn't know that however, slowly approaching the crater to check how damaged their prey was. Imagine their surprise when they weren't met with two half-broken girls, but a hail of bullets from Gambol Shroud, amber eyes staring at them with disdain before blowing their brains out.

Meanwhile, Weiss was left to hold her own in the centre, Myrtenaster relentless as it carved through any Beowulf that deigned to get too close. It was like a macabre dance of death and Weiss was commanding the battlefield like a ballerina.

Weiss flinched when a car was sent hurtling behind her, forcing her to fall to the ground lest she have half her body taken off clean. It luckily meant the huge Grimm approaching behind however was forced to take the full brunt of the vehicle to its body, both flying back and crashing against a storefront while taking down several of its brethren.

"I HATE YOU NORA!"

Ruby paused in her slaughtering, looking around in confusion before realising the scream had not come around her, but above. Her realisation meant she had a second to step back before Jaune fell from the heavens with his sword pointing downward, the boy crying in hear all the way.

Luckily, a King Taijitsu had chosen that exact moment to try and swallow Ruby whole. That meant when Jaune fell from above, his sword and weight were in just the right position to stab straight through the head of the Grimm and pin it to the ground, instantly dead.

"No you don't!" Nora yelled back, flying upon her hammer so she could eviscerate the head of yet another King Taijitsu. From the sounds of her laugh, she was enjoying herself perhaps a little too much considering the situation.

The other half of Team JNPR was just as active, Pyrrha vaulting over Ren's back as the boy slashed at the belly of an incoming Boarbatusk. His speed and agility allowed Ren to leap onto the back of a Nevermore than tried to swoop in, twin submachine guns firing all they had into its head, while Pyrrha tanked the might of a Beowulf and took its head in revenge.

"We're clear over here!" Ren called out, or tried to.

His voice was drowned out by the roar of what seemed like an endless number of engines above, flying vehicles of all varieties heading in their direction holding several times more military men within.

The Beacon students didn't even have to move. The moment that a Grimm tried to approach, it was ruthlessly shot down by the robotic soldiers that charged on their position, Gatling guns furiously spitting out as much lead as they held to keep the monsters at bay.

Those that failed to hold back the threat were simply replaced by two more, the sheer numbers forcing the Grimm into a disadvantageous situation. It didn't stop the Grimm from fighting back, far from it, but the invasion was at least a little more evenly balanced.

That was until…

" _ **HMMM… SO THIS IS THE WORLD THAT WE HAVE ENTERED."**_

The Blights barely even fit through the hole that the train had blown in the blockage, rupturing the surrounding earth further as they climbed out into the open air in a mess of machinery and tentacles. First came the massive mechanical monster, carelessly shattering everything it touched, followed by its serpentine counterpart, the fusions between man and beast giving a mighty roar as they escaped.

It was only natural that the soldiers nearby tried their best to fight back against the monster, their programs simply regarding them as Grimm to be exterminated. If they had been properly updated, they would've done the right thing and ran.

As it was, they were barely even fodder for the two creatures of darkness, either crushed by twisting limbs that darted through the air with a life of their own or cleaved in half by sawblades of pure energy. The Blights cared not for the soldiers' attacks, carving through the robots as they tried to search for the targets they had been born to fight.

Ruby was going to speak up, except there would be no point. They were basic robots, designed to fulfil a single function depending on what was encoded into their software. you couldn't just tell them to run because they had no chance of actually damaging them.

But then a storm of bullets rained down from above and to Ruby's surprise, it caused the Blights to back up in pain. Following the path of the bullets, all attention brought to the lone bullhead that dared fly out of formation with the other reinforcements.

"Zelda! Link!"

* * *

"My, this is remarkably hard to control!" Zelda remarked awkwardly as she tried to keep her grip on the Gianduja copy, the recoil beyond anything the Princess had ever wielded before.

Then again, it was clear that her shots were surprisingly effective against the Blights – it wasn't as if she had any other options. Her crossbow was just too slow to handle two of the dark monsters at once, not when the Gianduja copy could spit so many bullets in so short a time.

"Hey, never expected someone like you to handle a beast like a Gatling gun in the first place!" Coco answered over the roar of the bullhead, her team watching as their leader exposed her gun and joined in the chaos. "Let me show you how a girl properly handles her guns though."

The difference with Coco was that her semblance began to flare to life, the dust within each bullet amplified in strength several times over. It wasn't a visible reaction, but the smirk upon Coco's face grew as she pushed her sunglasses back and aimed Gianduja.

Whereas Zelda was doing decent damage to the two Blights, if not much in the long run, the brunette beside her devastated the Grimm that came into her vision, not even the ground surviving the impacts the bullets made. They together must've eliminated fifty Grimm alone, Zelda preventing the two Blights from advancing their mindless destruction while Coco eviscerated any Grimm who got too close.

Link watched it all with a hard eye, turning to the rest of team CFVY and receiving a nod from them. it wouldn't do to have Zelda and Coco fighting alone after all and the boys weren't made for long-range combat.

"At your signal Link," Yatsuhashi spoke, his massive blade held ready in his arms with unnatural ease.

Meanwhile, Velvet was momentarily lit by a blue glow before a copy of an ancient sword sat in her hands, falling into a familiar stance while Fox merely cocked his arms, the blades upon his tonfa flipping forward like a mantis' arms.

Their confidence brought a smirk to Link's face, the Hylian drawing his blade as he leant back on the balls of his feet. All his strength moved to his legs as he watched the barrels of both versions of Gianduja spin, Zelda catching his eyes for a moment and immediately understanding his intentions.

Three, two, one…!

"Let's move!" and with Zelda's cry, the sextet left the safety of their vehicle with a massive leap.

Met by a huge number of Grimm who failed to realise just how easily their kin was murdered, the group quickly found themselves circled, Yatsuhashi the first to move into action as he lifted Fulcrum high into the air.

Link had only a moment to move away before a flash of light glinted off the amber blade and the balding boy brought it down. There were no Ursa hit by the attack itself, but there didn't need to be, not with how the earth trembled, the pavement shattered and several were sent flying away.

A few found themselves flying in Fox's direction, but the dark-skinned boy barely looked before his arms were thrown out to cleave through their necks.

A particularly large specimen sought to avenge the others, yet it found itself smashed with a violently fast set of martial arts, the blades on Sharp Retribution more than capable of completely decimating the Grimm to such an extent that as soon as Fox punched it away, its spikes impaled four more before the Ursa disappeared.

Beside him, Velvet was having the time of her life. Why shouldn't she be? Whereas she would normally be forced to restrict herself to martial arts, the incredible arsenal that was Link's weaponry meant that the rabbit Faunus could fight as freely as she desired.

After many training sessions, Velvet was beginning to get used to great speed at which Link moved, her ancient sword copy flashing at incredible speed as the flesh of a Boarbatusk was diced before her. Backflipping, the rabbit avoided the Nevermore that approached, her sword suddenly replaced by a bow that made a single arrow turn to three. Needless to say, the Nevermore fell easily with three arrows in its brain.

Link stepped to the side, letting the corpse fall on the ground rather than his head. Unlike the others, his main objective wasn't the Grimm surrounding, but the hulking monsters that immediately turned their attention to him. He had fought one that could clone itself; surely fighting two individuals would be alright?

It wasn't as if he had much of a choice, the Hylian leaping over a sawblade that threatened to cut him in half. His opponent now decided, Link landed on the flat of the blade, the Blight highly realising Link's plan too late as the knight took a swipe at its face.

The first connected, but Link was quickly forced to abandon his plan as a pair of arms tried to stab through his back, the Hylian firing an arrow upside down that exploded in the face of the second Blight. Not the most powerful of responses, but certainly enough to irritate it.

And irritate the spindly creature it did, an inhumane screech escaping it as Link found his leg encased in vines, dangling him in the air. While it did, its cybernetic counterpart bit into one of the robots fruitlessly shooting at it and began a process that Link could do nothing but watch in begrudged awe.

The robot the Blight grasped initially began to fight back, only for a surge of electricity to spark across its body, the robot falling inert. Unable to defend itself, the autonomous soldier quite literally fell to pieces, the various metallic segments reshaping and reforming themselves in the air, the mechanical Blight growling before holding its arms out.

The sawblades too began to disassemble themselves, the various pieces all flying among one another before they suddenly began to smash together once more, a complex machine taking form in a manner of seconds. Where before, they had been sawblades and an entirely separate robot, now the Blight held massive cannons on its arms, cannons that it charged and aimed at Link.

"Not so fast!"

At least, until Zelda came crashing in quite literally, her version of Gianduja folded up into its handbag state.

Having stayed longer in the bullhead so she didn't need to aim the heavy weapon, Zelda had forced the pilot to approach the two monsters despite his fear. That meant she was in the perfect position to land on the mechanical Blight's head, smashing it into the ground and discharging all of the energy it had gathered.

The other Blight was forced to release Link when an untold number of bullets shot through the vine holding him up, Link spinning in the air so he could slash down the monster all through his descent. landing perfectly with a thumbs up to the Princess, the knight retook his position, ready to battle once more.

" _ **HERO OF HYRULE… PRINCESS OF HYRULE… HOW PLEASANT IT IS TO MAKE YOUR ACQUAINTANCE."**_

Yet there was no need, for a pair of tendrils formed of pure darkness stabbed right through where the hearts of the Blights would be, both falling silent barely a second later.

Where normally their bodies would dissolve, the two Blights instead found the malice that fuelled their force sucked straight from their bodies through the tendrils. After a minute of silent suffering, neither body remained, only the tendrils wrapped around two tainted heart containers.

Those heart containers were dragged back down through the hole the train had formed. Link and Zelda immediately rushed for the edge until the knight pushed back Zelda, just in time to avoid the immediate eruption of pure darkness that pierced the heavens.

It was no ordinary eruption however, that much was made clear when the pillar of darkness began to pulse and distort, a bestial roar growing in strength until a face suddenly appeared from within the shadows. A boar-like face that neither Hylian ever hoped to witness in their lives again.

"Calamity Ganon… so you've finally revealed yourself." Zelda muttered, more fear than she would've liked in her voice. "Last I recall, I sealed your being away for the rest of time."

" _ **YOU WILL FIND PRINCESS, I AM NOT SO EASILY CONTAINED."**_ The Calamity retorted, disturbingly polite for what was essentially a vessel of pure hatred in a terrifying form that poisoned all it came across. _**"YOU ARE A FAILED PRINCESS AFTER ALL. ONE WHO COULD NEVER CALL UPON YOUR WEAK GODDESSES' POWERS."**_

She managed to do so when it counted. She had held Calamity Ganon back for over a hundred years and once Link had managed to return to full strength, she had called upon the power necessary to seal him away.

" _ **HERO OF HRYULE, ALWAYS FIGHTING TO SAVE THE PRINCESS, EVEN FROM WORDS."**_ Calamity Ganon spat, floating down so his eyes could meet with the knight's. Not that it brought any fear to Link's eyes, much to the spectre's disappointment. _**"EITHER WAY, SHE DOES NOT COMMAND CONTROL OF HER POWERS. YOU BELIEVE YOU SEALED ME AWAY… BUT YOU DID NOT. YOU SENT ME TO A DIFFERENT WORLD ENTIRELY. ONE RIPE WITH DARKNESS AND DESPAIR. IT WAS MORE THAN ENOUGH TO HEAL ME."**_

The Grimm. There was no other possibility. Somehow, Calamity Ganon had been able to heal himself from the powers of pure light by interacting with the Grimm. They may have had bodies that approximated flesh, but they were beings born of darkness in the end.

" _ **INDEED, HERO OF HYRULE. AND AS I CONSUMED THEM, I LEARNED. I LEARNED OF WHERE THEY CAME FROM, WHERE THEY ARE BORN AND THE ONE FROM WHO THEY ARE BIRTHED."**_ Calamity Ganon said, the closest thing to a vicious smirk appearing on the hideous visage he called a face.

"Where the Grimm are born?" Zelda parroted, her fear momentarily forced back to make way for confusion. "But there is no conclusive evidence as to where they come from. They simply exist in the world."

" _ **FOOLISH PRINCESS. YOU CANNOT UNDERSTAND ANYTHING THAT DOES NOT COME FROM A BOOK!"**_ The Calamity cried, the Princess only narrowly avoiding a direct blast of pure Malice thanks to Link's quick raising of his shield. _**"THERE IS A POWER BEYOND YOUR UNDERSTANDING, BEYOND ANY MORTAL'S UNDERSTANDING, AND IT WILL BE MINE! NOW THAT I HAVE CULTIVATED THESE PITIFUL HEART CONTAINERS, I HAVE GAINED STRENGTH GREATER THAN I HAVE EVER HELD BEFORE, STRENGTH ENOUGH TO TAKE ON ANY GODDESS IN ANY WORLD! AND I WILL PROVE IT WITH THE OBSTACLE WHO BELIEVES SHE DESERVES TO RULE THE DARKNESS… BUT FIRST, A GIFT."**_

This time, not even the Hylian Shield had any hope of blocking the waves of Malice that burst out of the Calamity, spreading over Vale like a hellish tsunami. No inch of space was spared; any who were standing in the entirety of Vale at that moment felt and saw the malevolent energy pass over and through their bodies, some vomiting because of the darkness.

That wasn't what the Calamity was intending, however. No, the darkness itself was aimed… for the robots.

Any of the Atlesian creations that were stationed in Vale quickly found their programming immediately wiped away, a new set of instructions brute-forced into their hardware. Though some came close, few reached the same technological complexity as the Sheikah creations, meaning it was all too easy for the Calamity to rewrite their data.

Those who found their safety behind the robots soon found themselves ruthlessly gunned down, civilians left running for their lives from those who were meant to protect them. Mecha rampaged no matter what their pilots attempted to do and with the sheer number that had been brought into Vale? An untold number of people lost their lives.

The huntsmen who were fighting the Grimm were in no position to help. The moment that the Malice fell over their forms, mutations began that turned black flesh a sickly tainted purple colour, their strength nearly doubling to the despair of their enemies. Though large enough groups were enough to scrape a victory, there were hardly enough people to fight with every robot now on the side of darkness.

Link tried to move, but the tendril that wrapped around his neck prevented that easily. As the breath left his lungs, the Hylian was brought into the air, left to hang just before Calamity Ganon's face while Zelda soon joined him.

" _ **A FAMILIAR SIGHT, IS IT NOT? AND SOON, EVERY WORLD WILL MEET THE SAME FATE. HYRULE, THIS WORLD AND ANY OTHER; I WILL GROW TO HEIGHTS NEVER BEFORE SEEN."**_ The Calamity growled, turning to the mutated Ursa that mindlessly approached their position. _**"BUT YOU TWO ANNOYANCES WILL MEET YOUR END FAR BEFORE YOU CAN SEE THAT. TRY YOUR BEST TO SURVIVE HERO. THERE IS ANOTHER WORLD AWAITING ME."**_

And then they were met with another hideous sight.

The mutated Ursa was completely clueless as to the danger it was in until the Calamity quite literally flew into its body. demented laughter was fused with animalistic cries of pain as the darkness continue to pour straight into the flesh of the Grimm until Calamity Ganon remained no more, the Ursa suddenly spasming before falling to the ground dead.

"No… no, this can't be happening. Not again." Zelda muttered as she stepped back, turning around to see nought but flame and destruction. The huntsmen were doing their best, but they were only so many against a tidal wave of enemies. Falling to the ground in despair, the Princess saw not Vale, but her kingdom burnt before her eyes. "Link, we, we were meant to stop this. This wasn't meant to happen! The Calamity was meant to be contained!"

But it wasn't. They had just sent it to another world where it could continue to wreak havoc. But no more. This time, they would end it for real. Even if they couldn't save Hyrule before it was destroyed, Vale would not meet the same fate. But that was only if the Princess could still fight.

"Link…" Zelda looked to the outstretched hand with teary eyes, the knight looking every inch the resolute protector he was. How could she not take the hand? "How can you be so confident? I don't have access to the holy powers that let me seal the Calamity away."

The difference was, this time… they had a special trick that could change the tide of battle.

* * *

Salem watched the chaos that erupted around Vale with a curious eye.

It was not what she expected to see. The only people who were meant to have such power were herself and Ozpin and the likelihood of Ozpin even contemplating such destruction was beyond minimal. Salem had certainly not ordered such extremes and though they certainly weren't weak, none of those within her cabal was set to achieve such a feat.

No, the demon that turned the artificial defenders against their charges was something entirely new to Salem. Considering the many years that she had lived, such a thing had become quite the rarity.

It wasn't as if the pale-skinned woman was completely out of the loop. After all, she had eyes upon all of Ozpin's moves and the sudden addition of an unheard man to Beacon's ranks would never remain a secret, nor would the woman that was often found in his presence.

They were the oddest existences that Salem had ever come across save for herself. A princess and knight from another world, one where a great evil constantly reincarnated to try and rule the world while a great good constantly reincarnated to defeat it. A world of species unheard of, blessed by a trio of goddesses.

A world that had apparently decided to send their evil to Remnant, only to have their heroes dragged along after.

Compared to the heroes of the world they named Hyrule however, the darkness they aimed to defeat remained remarkably secretive. While he had sent out horrific creations and even one shaped akin to the hero at times, the one titled the Calamity had been able to keep himself unnaturally hidden. Now that said evil had finally revealed his form to her, such a fact only became even more infuriating.

She had even made sure someone searched Mountain Glenn to try and find the evil, yet something that malevolent had been able to avoid her detection. Not that Salem blamed her subordinates; if even she could not do something, it would be near impossible for anyone else to have succeeded.

But now he had decided to reveal himself to the world and in quite the destructive way. The amount of negativity the Calamity's acts caused in such a short amount of time was causing the Grimm to near rampage. The defences around Vale were spread thin with the chaos both in and outside. It didn't exactly tie into her plans, but it certainly didn't help Ozpin's. That much, Salem had to thank the Calamity.

It was the only reason why she didn't respond violently when she felt her connection to some of the Grimm being wrenched from her control, warped and distorted as another sought to establish their dominance and do something Salem had never imagined was possible.

"…Welcome, Calamity Ganon. If that is even your real name." Salem spoke, remaining in her seat as she watched the cloud of darkness erupt from one of the many pools that populated the Land of Darkness, phasing right through the window without care.

" _ **I DO NOT DESPISE THE TITLE 'CALAMITY'…"**_ the cloud began, only to collapse into itself in a warping mess of substances foreign to Salem, gradually morphing into a completely different form like an artist moulding clay.

A dark-skinned body began to form, stretching casually as malice laced the budding form. Seemingly emerging from the flesh itself, bronze armour highlighted with an ethereal blue light began to take shape, flame bursting out of the head and settling into a magnificent mane of red hair.

Muscles began to bulge as the ancient armour was slowly tainted by malevolent ooze, darkness crawling down the creatures back to form a tattered cape, the transformation completed by a viciously grinning face with glowing eyes of amber.

"…However, I appreciate the name Ganondorf much more." the form imperiously stated with a smirk. "I will admit, when I learnt of your existence through the pitiful creatures you call Grimm, I had been expecting someone… greater."

"And what do you mean by that?" Salem answered politely. Considering that the armrests of her chair nearly shattered in her grip though, her true emotions shone through clearly.

"Someone who can command monsters made of pure darkness. A powerful immortal entity, bearing powers worthy of a god. That is what my faithful creation told me." Ganondorf recalled, pulling out a chair and casually sitting himself down as if it were his own home. "And yet here we are; a woman merely masquerading as a powerful goddess. Unable to hold her mind together, she let her powers control her and now she endlessly chases a petty obsession like a puppy. Disappointing."

"You are not the only one with spies. Are you claiming that your tale is any different?" Salem immediately countered, Ganondorf giving a small scoff as he slouched even further in his seat. "Do not seek to test me. You may have been the greatest power in your world, but you are in my domain now."

"A domain you stole from an absentee owner. Your control over this world is merely granted because none stronger have come to claim it." Ganondorf stated, putting his hands together and leaning forward with a growing grin. "And I suppose you could say I have been gathering power for a long, _long_ time."

Salem narrowed her eyes as she felt her powers begin to act up in strange ways, small spikes and fluctuations that shouldn't have occurred unless she consciously did so. It was one thing to try and usurp her control in Remnant, but to walk into her residence and attempt it while staring at her? That was idiocy beyond idiocy.

"Even with all your aggressive action, I had hoped we could stay amicable, if not reach an accord. It is not every day that you get to meet a resident from another world." Salem breathed out before an aura of pure magic began to glow around her force, the already supernatural looking woman gaining a new level of ethereality. "But you have the gall to act as you have without even trying to hide your intentions. Do you truly believe you can act so callously without consequence!?"

"I have been planning my resurgence for an uncountable number of years. I do not have time for niceties." Ganondorf said, clicking his fingers to Salem's confusion.

It would take a moment, but the pale-skinned woman looked to her hands in shock, hands that now somehow lacked the glow that had been present before. No, it was even worse; she felt even weaker than she had been before.

"I am a being who rules the darkness, commands it as my own. In a land that consists purely of darkness, facing a being whose power comes from darkness, surely it is obvious who is superior?" Ganondorf quipped as he suddenly tightened his hand into a fist, Salem letting out a choking noise as even more of her power was drained in a second.

A sickly tendril began to flow directly out of Salem's heart, twisting and turning in the air until it began to be absorbed into Ganondorf's own body. pale skin began to turn more human, white hair began to return to its original blonde and eyes that would horrify any who looked upon them changed into an angelic blue.

Not only was Ganondorf taking her powers, Salem realised, but he was also taking _everything_ related to the Land of Darkness and the God of Darkness. No longer could she feel the instinctual sensation that was the curse of immortality, nor the mind breaking urges that had distorted her into a being of destruction.

In any other situation, Salem would've been incredibly happy. Overjoyed even. with her mind restored, the desire to kill Ozma's reincarnations no longer remained, the chance to finally rest for eternity now within her grasp.

But the restoration of her mind also meant she wasn't willing to leave a world where such a monster ran rampant. Salem refused to die, even when she knew her magic as it was would never stand against the might of her corrupted form.

But now Ganondorf had that power _as well as_ his own. To the Calamity, Salem wasn't anything more than a speck, evidenced by how he threw her body against the wall with merely a gesture, moving to take her throne with a smug smirk.

"I can feel it… everything that is born of this land, it is _mine_!" Ganondorf yelled to the heavens, his maniacal laughter echoing through the throne room. "Finally! The power to kill the goddesses once and for all is within my grasp! I need no Triforce! With this, I can take on anything!"

And it was no empty boast. Already, his malice was beginning to spread like a tidal wave across the land of Darkness, corrupting anything it came across until everything had Ganondorf's power engrained into it. The pools that spat out Grimm, now a dark purplish-black, began to spat out the malice infused counterparts, all looking up to the castle with sentience rarely seen in specimens so young.

A wave of his hand had Ganondorf opening a portal of swirling darkness, an abyss that soon faded away to reveal Dark Link in a reverent bow.

"My Lord. I see your plans have succeeded beyond expectations." The dark visage of the hero said as he rose from his bow, Ganondorf giving a small frown before his power rained down on Dark Link and forced him to the ground.

"Show the proper respect. Such basic displays were fine for a remnant of my former self, but now you are in the presence of a God." Ganondorf intoned, Dark Link remaining silent. No need to further anger his lord unnecessarily. "However, I still have use for you. You will not die yet. Instead, you will act as my general, command the Grimm in my steed. Treat them as no more than even more idiotic Bokoblins. When I begin my conquest, they will be the foot soldiers that tear down any defences so we may impede unopposed."

"As you desire, my lord."

"You do not realise what forces you are playing against," Salem warned, weakly rising to her feet with a defiant loom upon her face. "You may have usurped my power, but you gave me back my mind, a mind that can properly acknowledge the strength of the light. There are forces who will move to oppose you, forces that are stronger than you realise. Do you think that you can fight them better than I?"

"I do not recall asking your opinion," Ganondorf muttered, another snap of his finger sending Salem hurtling through a portal that appeared just below her feet, her cry of alarm cut short as Ganondorf closed the portal. "How blissfully ignorant she is of my capacity. But we all hold a level of blissful ignorance. I believed that I could defeat the hero when incomplete. The light believes that they can beat me with my full power."

* * *

Ozpin gave a small hum as he grabbed his cane by the head, effortlessly batting aside the King Taijitsu that aimed to swallow him whole. The two Nevermore following met similar fates, two half-hearted swings carving them perfectly in half.

Save for the number, it was hardly anything Ozpin couldn't handle in his sleep. So familiar was he with the creatures that even the eldest Grimm would only be so much of a problem. The only time Ozpin had struggled with a fight was either against Salem's forces or the Blights and they had certain…unnatural advantages.

Scanning his area and finding it empty, the white-haired took a moment to breathe. The students were doing all they could and those who could fight in Vale had immediately been brought into the fight. A tiny rest was acceptable with that many people engaged.

Except he wouldn't have the opportunity to take that rest, too busy jumping back as a swirl of darkness appeared above his head.

It was no magic Ozpin was familiar with, meaning there could've been only one source. It was a shame then that Link was too far away to assist. Ozpin would just have to delay the incoming strike for as long as possible.

But there was no strike or attack of any kind. Merely a body that weakly fell from within Ozpin hiding his surprise as he rushed forward to catch the vulnerable form before it could hit the ground. It wasn't as if Ozpin could make out just who or what came through, but the enemy wouldn't be so foolish as to send one of their forces to battle so defenceless.

With barely a stumble, the white-haired headmaster landed, gently placing the body on the ground so he could properly examine it.

As one could easily guess, what he found destroyed all expectation.


	17. Aftermath of an assault

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On conversations and capsules.

Link panted as he pulled back his arrow, barely even aiming as he let loose. There wasn't a need to; the sheer number of enemies awaiting him meant that he could have fired with closed eyes and probably landed a hit.

As it was, a pair of Atlesian robots now found themselves without a head, falling to the ground with the sound of a molten speaker system trying to let out one final noise. The only reason they fell so easily was that the knight's arrow was no simple creation, but a bomb arrow. We because they were before, the darkness is influenced had strengthened them beyond imagination.

There was no time to contemplate his minor victory however, the Hylian was forced to leap back to avoid the incoming Beowulf. If there was one positive Link could draw from the situation, it was that his Master Sword still cut through them all like butter, cutting through the more dangerous specimens so the other Huntsmen could attend to the more easily beaten Grimm and robots.

But even Link had limits to his powers. While he could more easily combat greater hordes than many, he was but a single man; his sword could only swing so fast, his arrows flying at a certain rate that could not be surpassed. Sure, a gun may have been able to increase his attack speed, at the cost of being able to fight as efficiently.

" _Link, allow us to pool our power for your use! Call upon our strength and use it as your own!"_ The voice of Nayru cried out within Link's mind, the Knight barely wasting a second as he pulled out the Sheikah Slate.

With the Amiibo rune selected, it was merely a case of pointing to the sky and allowing it to activate. With the enemies as scattered as they were and Zelda protecting him, the portal quickly began to appear with a familiar glowing orb floating out of it.

Before Link could crush it of his own accord, however, a particularly menacing Nevermore decided it was the perfect time to strike; knocked out of the air, the Hylian could merely grunt as he crashed along the ground and his treasure flew away.

That was the thing about the goddesses' power – once it was formed into a physical object, they lost their control over it and save for the location of the portal it came from, Link had no control of it either. The whims of fate were the only factors leading the orb through the air.

That didn't mean it was wasted.

It wasn't as if Velvet was trying to retrieve the orb, too engrossed in her battles to even notice it was floating behind her, but that didn't stop her from being forced back by a Taijitsu. Though saved by a copy of the Hylian Shield she was able to deploy at the last moment, the rabbit Faunus was still shoved back with incredible power, more power than was necessary to completely shatter the orb.

A gasp escaped Velvet as she felt a sudden swell of power flowing through her body, a sensation far too foreign to be her aura. Though she wouldn't recognise it until her partner informed her after the battle, amber eyes turned a blood-red while a rainbow glow adorned her body.

She wasn't an idiot though; slowly being surrounded by more and more enemies, Velvet would have been a fool to not take advantage of the power that had been suddenly granted to her. As an unnaturally confident smile began to take place on her face, Velvet came to a most wonderful realisation – not only had the power restored her vitality, it had decided to restore every single photo she had taken.

Link and Zelda weren't the only ones to pause when a harsh blue light suddenly filled the area. They also weren't the only ones to let out sounds of surprise when that very same light suddenly formed into a myriad of different weapons, a veritable armoury floating around Velvet's form as the rabbit Faunus threw her arms out wide.

It was like a front-row seat to a star storm, several dazzling lights flashing before people's eyes as they raced towards their targets. Flesh failed to stop them, as did metal; in what could have only been the span of a few seconds, tens if not hundreds of Grimm and robots alike found themselves shattered and torn apart as if tissue paper.

Perhaps it was Link who was most surprised. While the goddesses' power had certainly given him a rush the knight had never felt before, it only manifested in a single arrow. An ancient arrow, and one incredibly empowered at that, but still a single arrow. Compared to Velvet's hail of weapons, it paled in comparison.

Of course, such power did not come without consequence. After all, while Link might not have shown it, even firing that single arrow under the power of the goddesses had caused a significant drain on his stamina. For someone like Velvet, whose semblance did not actively drain much aura, the sudden decrease was not something she was ready to recover from.

As the last Boarbatusk fell dead, so too did Velvet fall to the ground panting heavily. The sight was enough to make those left astounded on the sidelines suddenly leap into action, some choosing to patrol the surrounding area while others worked to assist those injured.

"Link… We managed to fend them off." Zelda gasped as she finally let her copy of Gianduja smack against the ground. Tears of relief pricked the Princess's eyes, her shoulders dropping while her hands cupped her face. "They survived. Vale hasn't been destroyed…"

Not because of their effort. If Ganon truly wanted to, the city would be razed to the ground by this point. The Grimm weren't like the monsters you'd find in Hyrule – Hylian monsters could only be reborn under a blood moon, whereas the Grimm could be spawned indefinitely so long as negative emotions existed. It was only the fact that he ran out of Grimm from Mount Glenn and couldn't be bothered to produce any more; with all of the death and destruction that the Grimm were causing, there could have been exponential numbers swarming their position, all just barely below the strength of a Guardian. They were saved because of his laziness, not because of their strength.

"Link, how can you say that? We are stronger than we were before, the proof is right before us!" The Princess exclaimed, Link flinching from the visage of betrayal and hurt that appeared on such a delicate face. It was a face that he had promised would never grace Zelda again. "We've defeated the Calamity before, and we managed to prevent a tragedy like Hyrule from occurring. Surely that means were strong enough to beat him again, right? Right!?"

When teams RWBY, CFVY and JNPR eventually managed to regroup, it was to find a stoic faced Link and a Zelda that was gradually growing more terrified by the second.

* * *

Ozpin glanced down to the hand that held his, a hand he never dared hope he would hold again. Its grasp was just as warm and loving as he remembered all those centuries ago, as was the gaze that now weakly turned in his direction.

"Ozma…?"

The headmaster didn't speak, merely letting his grip tighten around her own. He simply could not find the words; any time he tried to speak, his breath left him. Could you blame him when he was talking to a woman long thought dead, trapped within a vessel born of pure hatred and the darkest of all magic?

Instead, he chose to merely brush his free hand against the woman's cheek, savouring the heat and delicate skin beneath. Ozpin wasn't quite sure when he started crying; it was only when he noticed the drops of water falling upon Salem's chest that the headmaster tried fruitlessly to draw back his tears.

"… How?" Was all he eventually managed to choke out.

"I wish I could be more grateful to have this form return to me… The Calamity absorbed his power, everything the dark god left behind is now his." Salem answered, her weak form doing little to stop the snarl of disgust that came to her. She may not be the raging demon she was before, but that didn't mean Salem was above the darkness present in humans. "Ozma, that thing that calls itself Ganondorf, it commands the darkness as if it were his own. It seeks to spread its influence infinitely, in this world and any other it can reach-!"

Salem's words were cut off by a racking cough, the blonde's face paling as she leant back in her bed. Perhaps under other circumstances, she would have been able to recover far quicker than she was now but Salem's body was not used to being so weak. It was trying to heal at her usual rate, a rate that would make her invincible in her tainted form, but her human body simply couldn't generate enough aura to assist her healing.

"Then we'll fight him and win. Together." Ozpin declared softly, his hands like an iron grip around her own. His mind wouldn't let him let go; the possibility that this was all a dream, no matter how irrational, meant that the headmaster would hold on to this miracle for as long as possible. "We have those who fought him on our side, Salem. Those who defeated him and according to legends, have done so countless times before. We no longer have to fight each other, we can combine our powers once more."

Ozpin couldn't help it. The reminder of how similar Ganondorf's and Link's story was to that of his and Salem's was the headmaster's breaking point, his mental state revealed in a series of overwhelmed chuckles. Had any other walked in at that moment, they would have immediately classed Ozpin as a madman and he was in no position to counter that image.

Luckily for him, it was Link and Zelda who entered.

"… The ones Ganondorf calls the hero and the Princess. The ones who are meant to defeat him." Salem breathed as they approached.

The two Hylians didn't get much of an impression. Sure, it was clear that they had participated in the great battle and she had heard the stories and rumours of their conflicts, but at that moment, they were defeated. Their movements lacked confidence, weapons were held in weak grips and their eyes were like windows to broken souls.

"Thank you both for your efforts. If it weren't for your assistance, then Vale would be in a far worse situation. As it is, we have been able to avoid disastrous casualties and destruction." Ozpin stated as officially as he could, but he couldn't hide how mentally exhausted he was. "However, it appears that we have finally exposed the mastermind behind the plot and his actions are far more drastic then we could have ever hoped. I trust that we have your assistance when it comes to stopping this Calamity?"

Ozpin had their assistance, that was for sure. It was whether that was enough. While he couldn't speak for the legendary heroes, the heroes who had managed to defeat the darkness time and time again throughout the history of Hyrule, they weren't equipped to fight this time. To defeat a Calamity that was only partially restored, a fraction of its strength, they had required the assistance of four ancient technologies specifically designed to weaken it. Even then, it had been followed by a long, gruelling battle for the fate of Hyrule. With the Calamity at its full power and in a world where such technology hadn't been created, their chances of success were woefully small.

"… What Link says is true. I can no longer access my sealing powers and though what I've researched of your technology is far more advanced than that of Hyrule, they pale in comparison to the Divine Beasts." Zelda added, not even bothering to hide the pain that came with such an admittance. "We will not stand by and allow the darkness to triumph while we still breathe, but… War is not won through determination alone."

"The Calamity, Ganondorf… it has the power of the dark god and all within… the land of darkness. If we are to counter it, then we… would require the power of the light god." Salem coughed out, gently pushing herself into a makeshift seated position. "Tch, as if we could access the Domain of light. We would need something… connected to it."

"You have been there before we both have Salem. If there are any who can find a way, it will be us." Ozpin promised.

Link and Zelda shared a look. In all of their interactions with the headmaster, he had been a rather mysterious, if occasionally witty, man. It was only very rarely that Ozpin broke through his relatively stoic countenance, and even that was typically reserved moments of disciplining the students and incredibly dangerous situations. To see him speak with such emotion, such sheer passion in his voice was an oddity; an oddity that neither Hylian was entirely too sure how to respond to.

It would take a second, but both would quickly realise that Ozpin's open emotions weren't quite the weirdest part there.

Wait, Salem!?

"As in, the very same Salem who has been plaguing remnant with the Grimm? The very same Salem you claimed to be fighting?"

"You have heard me correctly. It appears that your evil cares not for the great boon it has given us." Ozpin answered, folding his arms with a sigh. "You remember the tale of the brother Gods I told you, correct? I told you part of the tale, enough for you to have a vague understanding of how Salem's control of the Grimm came to be, but I had not thought I would need to tell the rest so soon. The truth need not be hidden any longer, not when our fight has been ended."

Thus began a tale of gods and petty fights, of humanity's rebellion and the horrific consequences that came as a result. Of immortality as a punishment, of several rebirths and deaths in barely a minute and of an abandonment that left the world as nought but a Remnant of what it once was.

Link didn't let it show on his face, but Zelda was not so skilled at hiding the combination of fear and disgust. Ozpin and Salem were of similar mind; they assumed the horror the two showed as a result of the gods' actions.

They weren't wrong, just not entirely right either.

"You… You had access to your gods… And you led a rebellion against them?" Zelda breathed, bringing up her hands to cover her face. "I-I can understand, I think, because of how angry you were because of their treatment of Ozpin – Ozma – but… To go against the divine beings that gave life to your world is unthinkable…!"

Link couldn't help but agree. There are many differences between the species of Hyrule, whether it be culture, knowledge or simply biological. If there was one thing that truly united every single one of them however, it was the absolute faith they placed in the goddesses that gave birth to Hyrule and those who resided within. To ever even ponder going against the goddesses was one step below a crime in the eyes of the Hylian people, probably because the thought of the goddesses ever committing such heinous acts was even more preposterous.

" _How sweet of you Link. It brings us great joy to know that our work is so appreciated by all people."_ The amused tones of Nayru echoed in the back of Link's mind, though the cheerfulness abated slightly in her next words. _"Though I wish Din was here to hear that as well. Though we may not be of as much assistance in a weakened state, to have all three of us awakened to be a great advantage to you… Farore, do you feel that?"_

" _What do you speak o-… You speak of the frail girl, yes Nayru? Why do you bring that up now?"_

" _Because, if we could potentially…"_

"Link, are you all right?" Zelda's question startled Link out of the mental conversation occurring within, the light turning a reassuring smile towards his Princess. "Your eyes grew clouded for a moment, you need to rest? You have fought the hardest out of us all; rest is the minimum you require."

But Link did not answer his Princess, instead turning Ozpin with a strange, solemn look to his eyes. The white-haired headmaster merely answered with a cocked eyebrow; he was fairly certain that, though his behaviour may not have been typical of his usual self, he had not done anything to warrant such a questioning and accusing gaze.

"I shall assume this is something serious," Ozpin remarked as he gave a small cough, his more stoic demeanour returning as his face sobered. "While I can understand my words have appeared sacrilegious to you, I believe that they would not cause you to ignore the worries of your Princess. Ask away Link."

Now, how do you raise this kind of question without sounding rather strange…?

Ozpin, are you keeping someone underground?

"… I'm sorry, pardon?" Ozpin replied, his face seemingly lacking in reaction while Zelda gave a shocked look to her strongest knight. "Whatever could have brought a question like that up?"

They, the Goddesses… they can feel her. A girl forced into endless torment, her soul split with nothing to fill the void remaining. Her body is cannibalising itself trying to restore what is lost, but a physical form cannot restore a soul. You can hear her screaming through the pain, screams that have been forcibly silenced and locked away inside her mind. Ozpin… what are you keeping underground?

Link wasn't entirely sure which had been his thoughts and those of the Goddesses within his mind, but the sentiment was shared between them. The thought of being forced to live with only half a soul, the very thing that made a creature unique… it was a hell no mortal should ever be condemned to. That she was still able to feel the pain of such a thing without any outlet only made the situation even worse.

"…Ozpin, you surely aren't doing such a thing…?" Zelda wanted to deny, but her words immediately began to falter at the conflict within the older man's eyes.

"It is not something I chose with any malicious intent, I assure you. The moment that she passes away, her soul will be in malicious hands and as you can no doubt tell, it is a powerful soul indeed." Ozpin spoke with no small sense of bitterness. "I cannot deny my failings, however. I did not know she was in such mental turmoil. Life support was, still is, the only option I have to keep those powers with someone on the side of the people."

"Do not blame him for her state. It was one of my own who stole the girl's power." Salem spoke up, her face having fallen more and more the longer they spoke. "One of those recruited by my corrupted form desired a Maiden's power. Cinder… she craved the thrill of strength, ignorant of that which she already held… I would call her to my side, but I know not if she would answer or be prepared to sacrifice that which she took."

Ah, yes. With how pitiful she looked, Link had almost forgotten that Salem was the woman who had become Mistress of the Grimm, plotting to bring an end to humanity. It was only natural she would surround herself with similarly less than savoury characters. If someone like that had access to immense powers and was simply asked to give them back, the answer was somewhat obvious, wasn't it?

"Ah, I see. So perhaps this girl could've assisted us with our plight… I highly doubt recovering from having a _soul_ torn in two is an easy process though." Zelda muttered in defeat, resorting to merely fiddling with her hair.

…maybe recovering the soul didn't matter though. Not immediately at least.

"Link?"

" _That girl won't be able to awaken and properly heal without a placeholder for her lost soul. We won't be able to recover as fast as required without access to a rich power source. Surely we can solve two issues at once?"_ Is what Nayru whispered into Link's mind, subsequently spoken aloud for the rest to hear.

"…Pardon but allow me to see if I have this right. Link, you intend for us to repair a splintered soul without needing to recover the lost half? And to do so by transferring a divine soul in its place?" Zelda couldn't help but mutter, the logical half of her mind battling with the religious to form some sort of rational from the situation.

Technically, it wasn't just one soul. Both Goddesses would be taking part.

"That's not what's wrong with this scenario, Link, and you know it!" Zelda immediately cried out in response. "Surely attempting to force the power of a Goddess on a human will have foul consequences. How can we be certain such a procedure will even work the way we hope? There's no precedent for such a thing at all!"

"But it's not as if we're talking about a normal human. She is one of my Maidens; it would be wise not to underestimate the power one can wield." Ozpin interrupted, his face locked deep in thought. "As I mentioned before, Salem and I don't exactly have the most positive of track records when it comes to divine interactions. At this moment, however, I fear there are no alternatives. If you truly place your trust in these Goddesses and they will assist us in our plight, I see no harm in trying it out."

"…I will do my best to reason with those of my… cabal, who may be potentially reasoned with. They will respond to my call; whether they accept what I have to say is another matter." Salem added, tenderly rising from her bed, to Ozpin's concern.

"You are in no position to be moving Salem, let alone dealing with potentially hostile people." He quickly warned, only to be waved off with a trembling expression that might've been a smile.

"It's not as if we're talking about a normal human… that's what you said, right?" Salem muttered with a growing strength as she straightened up, smoothing the creases in her clothes and ignoring how little it did to tidy up her appearance. "I may not have the power I once did, but it doesn't make me weak. Surely you of all people should remember that."

"I cannot argue with that; do as you wish, but only once we have completed what we have done here. I'd rather you have a bodyguard when the time comes." Ozpin conceded, rapping his cane against the floor as he stood with new energy. "First, we meet with Amber."

* * *

Link and Zelda really should have expected it. Beacon, after all, was no small Academy; it only made sense that its basement would match the grandeur that the building sitting above had. What an Academy would do with such a vast space was questionable, but the Hylians supposed that for one who appreciated his secrets and mysteries as much as Ozpin did, there were quite a few options.

What they found there, however, was no surprise. That wasn't to say they weren't unnerved by what was there; quite the opposite, the scene would cause a shiver to go down any person's spine. To see a human encased in glass, attached to a whole mess of machinery that the common man would never even hope of understanding, was a reasonably strange sight. That only a portion of the technology visible was dedicated to keeping its subject alive only made things stranger.

Link found himself approaching the girl contained within, a hand tenderly reaching up to stroke the glass. It, as well as all of the tech surrounding, just felt so… Cold.

The technology of Hyrule all seem to share one common trait – the creators had made sure to leave their mark on everything they made. The ancient Sheikah technology might have been mass-produced at one point, but every machine felt distinct in its combination of unexplained technology and mystical power. They practically sang in their wielder's hand thanks to the magical machinery they were composed off.

This just felt alien. Everything was a harsh black colour, only the slight illumination of the glass container bringing any sort of light to it. It was clear from the moment that the Hylian is approached that it was a machine forged by machine. Any sense of individuality or uniqueness had been beaten down, made to fit a mould without room for a creator's unique influence.

Of course, they had not come to marvel at the machinery, but that which was contained within – the fragile girl mere moments from death, trapped within an artificial slumber. How peaceful she seemed, barely even breathing and with no signs of emotion upon her face. If it weren't for the complex technology preventing such a fate, there was nothing to show she hadn't already passed into the next life.

Amber… how disturbingly weak she looked for one who held great power. Then again, if what Link had been told of her was correct, she had been put through quite the tribulation.

"Indeed, I would not wish Amber's fate upon anyone. If you can prevent her suffering, then do what you must." Ozpin urged as he approached the mighty machine, every step punctuated with guilt as the headmaster closed his eyes.

Link did not blame him; such a sight was a symbol of his failure to protect Amber. Had Zelda been in the same position, the knight would no doubt be torn between refusing to look at someone he failed to protect and refusing to leave the side of his Princess.

" _Yes… this might very well work…"_ the voice of Nayru mused in Link's mind, a growing sense f excitement entering the soft tones. _"A creation with the ability to transfer powers. That will most certainly be useful."_

Transfer powers…?

"The last resort in case we found no way to restore Amber to her original state, Link. The process would kill her, but considering the circumstances I would authorise such action under, Amber would've been as good as dead anyway." Ozpin explained, a bitterness to his tone as he tried to school himself as much as possible. "There was a time where I looked upon this machine with pride. Where I thought my creation would help the world fight back against the darkness that pervaded. Now, I can barely stand to look upon it."

It still could, so long as the plan works out.

"Yes Link, you are correct. Please… do what you must to save Amber."

" _There is a second transfer pod. Bring up the Amiibo rune and place your Sheikah Slate within."_ Nayru quickly instructed and though he wasn't quite sure whether the technologies would be compatible, Link followed the orders regardless. One didn't simply question the orders of their Goddesses after all.

As he was doing so, the smallest part in the back of Link's mind was laughing its head off, no care for the sobriety of the situation. If Link told anybody back in Hyrule that he was hearing the voices of the Goddesses, then they would laugh him out of their homes. Well, maybe the leaders and the champions wouldn't, but anyone else probably would. Then again, quite a good number had refused to accept the Master Sword for what it was; the people of Hyrule had grown rather sceptical in the span of one hundred years.

Regardless, there was time to ponder that later as the knight activated the Sheikah late and set it in place, carefully lowering the glass down to shut the capsule. How he was meant to activate the rune while it was in the capsule, Link wasn't quite sure, but the Goddesses probably had a plan.

"So what happens now Link?" Zelda asked, steadily approaching her knight and placing her hands upon his shoulders. "I'm still not entirely sure how the Sheikah Slate functions in its entirety and from what little I do know, it isn't exactly the most compatible with the technology of Remnant. Are you certain that it will work?"

Honestly? No clue. But there wasn't any reason _not_ to try it out, was there? Worst case scenario, nothing would happen.

"I suppose you're right with that. Very well; my faith in you hasn't been misplaced so far." Zelda replied as the smallest of smiles began to tease at her lips. "Shall we put this plan into motion then?"

"I assume all that is left now is to activate the machine," Ozpin called out as he approached the panel sat before the massive contraption, easily flicking through countless forms of security and identification. By the time the white-haired headmaster was finished, he must've passed through hundreds of different recognition protocols, only to be met with a screen showing only a large red circle, bold white text reading 'activate' proudly emblazoned upon it. "The moment I press this button, all operations will begin. I await your affirmation."

" _Screw your courage to the sticking place Link. We shall have this all under control."_ Farore's reassurances echoed in Link's mind, the Hylian closing his eyes momentarily before a new determination filled his body. There was no reason to turn back now.

It was time to go for it.

"Understood. Beginning now."

It was admittedly rather underwhelming at first. Both Link and Zelda had admittedly been awaiting some sort of incredible display of technological marvel, some immense divine force that danced before them as it brought about a miracle. When the machine simply hummed to life as any old appliance would, the Hylians were left somewhat wanting.

But that was until the Amiibo rune began to activate.

Typically, what occurred was that Link would designate a landing place for the intended payload and a portal would open in the sky for the gifts to appear from; simple enough, if one didn't wonder too hard about how such a feat was possible through machinery. The issue was that the capsule the Sheikah Slate had been placed in didn't have room to allow for such a thing, meaning that the portal that would've been high in the sky now filled the capsule.

All present covered their eyes as a swirling vortex of thunderous power burst into existence, raging with far greater ferocity than Link had ever witnessed before. What was usually a placid swirl of golden light was now tinged with green and blue energy that smashed against the glass and each other. The only escape was a single port at the top of the capsule, the energy soon rushing through a huge number of pipes with incredible force towards the opposing capsule – towards Amber.

As soon as the power flowed through the pipes and into the second capsule, Amber's voice began to cry out, a youthful yet hoarse sound that spoke to how little it had been used over time. Her screams were not unjustified, not with the sheer amount of energy flowing into her body and forcibly infusing itself into her aura. It didn't make listening any easier and watching was just as painful with how Amber's body began to thrash and convulse.

"It's working," Ozpin shouted over Amber's cry, his regret completely wiped away to be replaced with a beautiful combination of disbelief and amazement. "Her aura levels are rising! Life signs are stabilising, somehow! Your plan is working."

Link was expecting one of the Goddesses to make a boast or retort in the back of his mind, but he was only met with silence. A reasonable silence; they were probably far more occupied with ensuring that their transfer of power into Amber was successful than chatting in a random guy's mind.

"Something's happening to the system!"

Zelda's panicked cry drew their attention to the pipes hanging high above, a relatively calm transfer of energy from one capsule to the other now causing the pipes to bulge and warp in a frightening manner. If it continued to fluctuate any more, it would be impossible for them to retain their shape; what would happen to Amber or the Goddesses if the piping suddenly broke and released the energy?

"The machine creates a special field within the pipes to regulate and control the transfer of power through them. It was never intended to regulate this level of energy. It's draining itself dry to keep the defensive field active." Ozpin explained, only the smallest amount of frustration entering his voice. "The moment those defences fall, the energy transfer will be completely unregulated, it will destroy the machine and let out all of that gathered energy into the open atmosphere!"

"You mean we need to find an alternate power source!? Surely you have something sufficient for this kind of situation!" Zelda called out in response, drawing a wince from Ozpin that had the blonde gasping in surprise. "You don't!? You never believed a problem like this could occur?"

"The system was never intended to regulate this much energy, nor energy this chaotic in nature." The headmaster retorted, the controls he was working on suddenly deciding to disappear. That was what happened, Link supposed, when you used holographic screens for near every user interface. "And my ability to monitor the situation has just been removed. This is why I always trusted Ironwood with the technological side of operations… any plans for an immediate energy source would be greatly appreciated."

If only aura could be used as power. If such a thing had been possible however, Ozpin wouldn't have considered the situation so dire – he did have the greatest reserves in the room after all. No, they would need to find an alternative energy source, something that could provide a massive amount of power in a short amount of time…

" _If that's all you needed, you should have just asked."_

That voice, it wasn't Farore or Nayru. No, it was something far more familiar and comforting, a voice that brought a look of astonished surprise to Zelda's face as soon as she heard it. Link didn't register it at all, however, too preoccupied with the orange glow that had started to surround his body, the knight looking to his shining hand in confusion.

Bringing his other hand up, the Hylian couldn't believe his eyes as bolts of electricity began to jump from finger to finger, growing in size at an alarming rate until the blond was practically grasping a full-blown lightning bolt. It didn't even stop there, growing in might until the electricity nearly completely encapsulated his body. It was a testament to Link's resilience that he didn't scream out; though it didn't hurt, it was certainly a frightening experience to watch, let alone be in the centre of.

"Link!?" Zelda yelled, almost about to run over had it not been for Salem's hand that wrenched her arm back.

"Ozpin, where is the power source!?" Salem called out after, Ozpin merely pointing in the direction of what could best be described as two oversized batteries. In reality, it was probably a vastly more complicated series of energy cells and converters, but that was a discussion for another time. "Link, whatever you're doing, aim it there!"

And so he did, Link thrusting his arms forward and watching in silent amazement as the electricity surged forward, a veritable beam striking the energy cells, miraculously leaving not a single scratch as they did so. With every second that passed, the greater the glow around the pipes grew, their bulging decreasing in strength and frequency until all was calm once more, the electricity surrounding Link fading to a more… 'reasonable' state.

"It worked, it really worked," Zelda muttered, closing her eyes as her hands came together in prayer. "So your soul does still live in Link's heart…"


	18. A link to the goddesses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On awakenings and attacks.

When Amber awoke, it was to a world she didn't recognise. Well, 'world' wasn't exactly the best way to phrase it. After all, could an endless void of darkness be called a world? The only material object that seemed to exist beyond herself was the shattered ground beneath her. Stretching, the brunette almost rolled over by nature, only to be met with a jagged edge that had her scrambling back. The platform looked as if some giant had torn a huge chunk of a cobbled street and chucked it into space. Rising from the broken cobble, Amber instinctively rushed to the edge, only to find her initial thoughts confirmed. Save for the pillar she stood on that stretched down near infinitely, there was nothing to meet her save for empty air.

"…Hey! Where the hell am I!? Anyone there!?" Amber began to call out, only to immediately hesitate. The only thing surrounding her for what seemed like an eternity was an inky black abyss; who the hell was going to answer? Did she really want something from a place that looked like this to answer in the first place? "If the world was going to end, I would've thought Ozpin would wake me up first…"

"I'm sure he would. After all, he is waiting to awaken you now."

Amber paused. It was as if the voice had come from nowhere and everywhere at the very same time - less a tangible sound and more something that resounded from within her. The sudden remark forced Amber into a defensive position, the vulnerability of her current situation made disturbingly obvious to her. The darkness left Amber exposed on all sides, the rather tiny platform less than ideal when most of her attacks were based around brute force.

"My, what a threatening stance. We mean no harm to you, Amber." A second voice interjected, in a manner far easier for Amber to pinpoint. Disturbingly easy in fact – it was coming from right behind her.

Barely a second had passed before Amber's hand was slicing through the air, a strike powerful enough to cause serious, if not fatal, damage to the speaker. It was a good thing then, that Amber's attack hit nought but thin air, the Maiden's eyes widening when she failed to see anyone at all. The ability to throw your voice was one thing, but to sound so close while remaining in whatever their hiding place was? Whoever these people were had skills. Whether those skills translated into combat ability was yet to be seen.

"You're not exactly the most convincing, you know?" Amber remarked in return, her eye beginning to twitch when the sound of two women giggling pervaded the area. she couldn't even use it to figure out where they were, much to Amber's further irritation. "Least you could do is reveal yourself."

"Very well. I do not object, do you Nayru?"

"I suppose not Farore. After all, I do not enjoy teasing her as much as you seem to do."

With voices like that, Amber had been expecting women. That wasn't to say she was sexist, far from it. It was less that she was expecting _women_ exactly and more that she was expecting _humanoids_. That assumption meant that when she was faced with a pair of glowing orbs suddenly descending from what seemed like the heavens, Amber wasn't entirely sure how to react. All Amber managed to do was lower her hands; it wasn't exactly likely for her to be attacked when the orbs didn't have limbs to attack with.

"Hm… these forms do not exactly inspire fear or awe. Both a blessing and a curse." Farore remarked, the forest glow around her pulsing with a playful rhythm. It was something almost familiar to Amber, yet disturbingly alien. Nothing close to a Maiden's power, or even all four Maidens' powers combined. Even if she wished to continue fighting, Amber wasn't exactly certain that the tide was in her favour… despite their lack of viable appendages to fight with. "As a temporary measure, they will be sufficient, however. Nayru, would you care to begin the explanations?"

"Farore… though I am the goddess of wisdom, you should not be so quick to dump such duties onto me." The other orb muttered with a weary sigh, floating before Amber in what the girl could only interpret as an apologetic bow. With the far more calming nature of her azure light, Amber wasn't as unsettled by the sight as she should've been. "I apologise for this abrupt change of scenery. You must be woefully confused, Amber."

"…I'm talking to a pair of floating orbs in the middle of nowhere, standing on what looks like a piece of broken road." Was the reply, her tone somehow remaining even through the insanity that passed Amber's lips. "I'm not confused, I'm pretty sure I'm insane right now."

"If you were any other, then that would be the case. A human's body wasn't designed to hold the power of a goddess." Nayru said, pointedly ignoring the splutter that escaped her conversation partner. "We have little time for small talk though. The longer we remain as foreign entities within your body, the higher the chance of you meeting your death."

"Must you phrase it in such a way? It's rather harsh on the ears, do you not think?"

"It is the truth. We gain no benefits from keeping it from her, especially with what is to come."

"Wait, inside my body? No – death!?" Amber cried out, the orbs flinching back as the maiden's eyes gained a fire to them. Quite literally; it made for a rather spooky impression, such that even goddesses could be momentarily put out. "Urgh, this is ridiculous! Just tell me what's happening already!"

"…My apologies. I shall give it to you straight." Nayru replied, her form dipping slightly. "We are currently inside your soul, your heart. As you can see, it has been fractured beyond repair. Without constant life support, you will die. By accepting our power into your body, we can allow you to live unrestrained. Though we will be able to exert our presence, momentarily take over your body, you will be the dominant personality. In return, we shall lend you our powers, as much as your body can withstand."

Amber's retort was drowned out by the sudden tremor that passed through the platform beneath her, the two orbs flying higher as the brunette struggled to stay standing. With the stone slowly being chipped away by the earthquakes however, the task was made monumentally more difficult.

"Wh-what's going on!?"

"It is as Nayru said before! Your body isn't able to withstand a goddess' powers for long, let alone two. The only reason you have survived this long is your nature as a Maiden. Your soul is shattering." Farore explained, the green orb somehow managing to grasp onto Amber's hand. "You must accept us now! Your friend Ozpin will be able to explain further, but you must survive first!"

"Th-that isn't much of a choice!" Amber growled in frustration, but there wasn't any time to debate. With the ground breaking beneath her feet, it was either listen to the orb-things or fall into the depths of the abyss. Honestly, neither sounded too pleasant, but only one appeared to have the potential for survival. "Fine, do what you have to do! But I need a proper explanation!"

Neither Nayru nor Farore answered, mostly because the second that Amber voiced her compliance, the two orbs sank directly into her hands. Having ethereal beings become one with her body; it was a chilling experience for Amber. At least, for a few moments. Seconds later, however, having so much raw power flowing through her veins meant there was an agonising flame within every inch of Amber's flesh.

Falling to the ground with a horrified scream, Amber was left blissfully unaware of how the platform's tremors suddenly stopped. The darkness surrounding, piece by piece, began to shatter into an innumerable amount of lights. Soon, the endless void had been replaced by what could only be described as a heavenly glow, one that Amber only had a second to acknowledge before it swallowed her whole.

* * *

" _Ozpin, what the hell have you done? We're recording a power surge that has blown out the majority of Vale! There should be nothing in the Kingdom that could result in that much electricity!"_

Ozpin failed to immediately reply. After all, it was rather difficult to when an unprecedented explosion knocked the air out of you. To be frank, the headmaster was rather surprised that he had been able to answer his Scroll at all. Considering the ringing in his ears and the metal that had impacted his head, it was to be commended that he was standing up in the first place. Had it been an ordinary explosion, Ozpin wouldn't have been so messed up. This? The power had been on a completely different level.

"Ironwood. What a pleasant greeting. I personally would've preferred 'hello'." He muttered, with all the geniality Ozpin could muster at that moment. Needless to say, the irritation dripping from his words was just as clear on the general's end.

" _There's a time and a place. Vale's defences are dependant on their power supplies, supplies that have been compromised by whatever caused that surge. I don't have the time or the manpower to spare helping out Vale. The Grimm are somehow growing stronger. I need to know if this is something I need to deal with."_ Ironwood spat down through the Scroll, a tone that had Ozpin raising an eyebrow. Even if he was one of Ozpin's more vocal opposers at times, there was a clear hierarchy. Ironwood was well aware of the difference in their experience and age. For the general to demonstrate such heated opposition was rare. Perhaps his work was taking far more of a toll than Ozpin had initially expected.

"The possibility of such an occurrence happening again appears to be… minimal." Was the first response that came to mind. Faced with a mountain of warped and shattered metal, it would take a miracle to get anywhere close to replicating the technology that once stood there. "More importantly, I do believe that in momentarily weakening our defences, we have brought back one of our strongest guardians."

"… _No, you're kidding. I thought you said without the other half of her-!"_

"I'm aware of what I said then, General. Contrary to my age, I have yet to grow senile." Ozpin quipped, the Scroll in his hands quickly flipped around. "Nor have my eyes yet failed me. Do you question my veracity now?"

" _Dear god, you actually did it."_

Though the explosion had knocked near everyone off the feet, only one figure remained standing. That was probably thanks to the swirling vortex of fire that protected them, slowly dying down until Amber's form was revealed. For one so frail before, the energy in her stance was incredible. Even she seemed rather surprised by her lack of damage.

"I… I haven't felt this great in ages!" the girl exuberantly declared, admiring a body completely unmarred. Reaching up to her face, Amber revelled as she traced scars no longer present. It was a level of healing even Ozpin's abilities had been unable to achieve. That was why it took several moments before Amber gazed down and realised one rather poignant detail. "And I'm also naked. Why am I naked!?"

"Your garments did appear to be rather flimsy," Zelda remarked, her eyes averted. Though they were of the same gender, the sight of someone baring their skin was still rather foreign to the princess. It had been the source of endless amusement for Urbosa and Mipha. "I suppose they were unable to withstand the strength of your flames. I shall gather you a set immediately!"

" _That will be unnecessary."_ Though the response came from Amber's lips, the tone was far too mature for Amber to naturally assume. Regardless, Amber wouldn't have so rapidly covered her mouth in shock if those words had been her own.

Yet somehow, that was not the most surprising occurrence. No, the water and wind that began swirling around Amber were far more unexpected, especially for one who preferred flame over all else. When the elements clung onto her flesh, forming fabric and metal at an incredible rate, no one knew exactly how to react. In a matter of seconds, a white shirt and brown corset paired with dark trousers and boots had materialised on Amber, a stream of water off her back solidifying into a cape. Watching in awe as familiar golden armour mounted itself upon her body, Amber was left without words. Somehow, she managed to speak anyway.

" _Apologies for the rather inappropriate display. We would've used fire befitting your typical style, but that falls within our sister's domain."_ Nayru spoke once more through Amber, the brunette finding her arms feeling her body of their own volition. She would've called out in alarm, had the goddess not continued to speak. _"I must admit, this body isn't quite what I'm used to. We shall adapt soon enough though. So long have we been without physical form."_

"I assume you are one of the goddesses then," Salem muttered as she approached, caution painted across her features. Though Amber appeared to be unharmed, she had been awake for a matter of seconds. It would take far longer for the disdain upon Salem's heart to corrode. "How is Amber's body affected? What good does this serve our purpose?"

" _Hmph. I would have thought that our previous display had demonstrated that quite nicely."_ A completely different voice replied, Amber having long since given up trying to control her own being. It was clear that Farore's more mischievous tone didn't exactly sit well with Salem, but a goddess' attitude was not to be so easily swayed. _"As you can see, our presence within Amber allows us to channel our abilities without the need for the Sheikah Slate. Though a shared physical vessel means those powers are limited, they should surely be of use. Though we have demonstrated our ability to possess Amber out of necessity, rest assured that she will be able to use our powers of her own volition. When not speaking, we shall refrain from taking such drastic control."_

"You honour us with your presence. To think we could ever be graced by the Goddesses themselves, it is a reward beyond all else." Zelda immediately recited, falling to a single knee. Naturally, Link was no slower in following suit. Anything less would be to spit in the face of all they had done for Hyrule. Considering the more than sizable power they had demonstrated, that was something to be avoided at any costs. "Your assistance thus far is beyond recompense. Though there is no way for mortal hands to forge a reward worthy of a goddess… let it be known that I, Princess Zelda of Hyrule, shall do all I can to show myself worthy of your help!"

If it had not been for the Goddesses' intervention, then the Princess would not have her life. Their gifts had prevented an immeasurable number of people from being slaughtered on the streets, in multiple worlds. That wasn't even to say anything of what Goddess Hylia had done to assist the initial defeat of the Calamity. So long as the Master Sword remained in Link's hands, then it would forever stay aimed at the Goddesses' enemies.

" _How adorable. Stand, Princess, Hero of Light."_ Farore commanded. Though the words couldn't have been spoken more gently, both Hylians immediately leapt to their feet. How much of it was their volition however, neither could be sure. Though no magic could be felt, a divine being could not be measured by human systems. It was something to be tested further; with permission and once the Calamity had been slain for good. No matter how much Zelda's curiosity was peaked, treating a goddess as some sort of test subject was a dishonour she would never recover from. _"We goddesses are selfish beings at heart. We seek the preservation of the world, a world that Ganondorf threatens. So long as you stand to oppose him, then you have our assistance. It certainly helps that you're so cute though."_

Link didn't flinch as a finger reached towards her cheek, only for an eyebrow to rise when it was pulled away. A moment passed as Amber seemingly fought with herself, an internal conflict passing in a breath before her form became more dignified.

" _I apologise for Farore's attitude. I shall endeavour to ensure she behaves herself."_ Nayru remarked with a bowed head. _"Her sentiments are true, however. We shall provide Amber with our strength without hesitation so long as it is necessary. As soon as our sister awakens, I do not doubt that she will assist too. Stand tall, for you must bear the burden of two worlds. Hero of Light, Princess – the fate of Hyrule and Remnant sits upon your backs. Do not let it crush you."_

Those words, they were the type to be said before the speaker left dramatically. Indeed, that had been Nayru's initial intention. After all, the teasing of the Hero of Light at Farore's hands was not to be left unpunished. Physical punishments were an impossibility so long as they resided within Amber, so Nayru would have to draw Farore to the subconscious before she could scold her. Knowing that, Salem couldn't stop herself from reaching out and grabbing Amber's arm.

"Wait! First, your powers. Could they possibly heal me?" the blonde questioned, her face falling. "A difficult task will soon be at hand. I need all the strength I can possibly muster."

If the resulting smile on Amber's face wasn't answer enough, then the invigorating light that engulfed Salem surely was.

* * *

Atlas city was a unique existence, to say the least. Born out of a desperate desire to survive, the technology of Atlas evolved without restraint until it had surpassed every peer. With so much devoted to research, the progress the Atlesians had made was awe-inspiring. There was a reason why no other continent dared raise their cities into the sky as Atlas did, least of all their capitals. It was a shame that the whole thing was dyed the unbearable grey that it was though. It remained as a remnant of the days where expression and emotions were controlled, a poor measure intended to deter the Grimm.

That wasn't to say that efforts weren't being made to reverse that, however. Though the uniform of Atlas Academy remained enforced during special occasions, the students had greater freedom with their outfits than ever before. Once the populace saw the Huntsmen throughout Atlas, their resistance to bringing a splash of colour to the city would erode rapidly. A day where the oft rejected bill to bring a rehaul to Atlas found success seemed closer than ever. Regardless of the many, many pressing issues that needed his attention, the thought of such a day coming to pass brought a smile to James' face.

"If we're going to need maidens, then maybe it's time…" the general muttered absently to himself, reaching out to the coffee sitting upon his desk. Few were the times he actually drank the stuff, but the energy boost had been a lifesaver. Despite the bitterness, James had found himself consuming greater amounts by the day. Ozpin's recent mishap and the concerns that had already appeared as a result didn't seem like they would buck the trend. "Winter's training should be sufficient. Slightly rushed, but still within acceptable bounds."

"A shame the same couldn't be said for your guards." If the venomous voice didn't grab the generals attention, then Marrow Amin's body hitting the ground certainly did. When it was followed by the rest of the Ace Operatives, the general was already reaching for his pistol. The speed of his enemy wasn't to be underestimated however, a shield drenched in darkness raised with inhumane speed. The bullets never stood a chance of hitting their target. "There's no need to be rash, General. I have all the time in the world."

"Yeah? Well, I don't. How the hell did you manage to get through the security?" James growled in return. The smug smile Dark Link gave in response was the ugliest thing James had seen in his life. Considering some of the horrors he had faced during his career, that was nothing to scoff at.

"Does the fox explain his plans to the sheep? The lion to the deer?" came Dark Link's taunting reply, a distorted imitation of an ancient sword appearing in his hands. James liked to believe he managed to hide his apprehension well. From the way the dark clone's smirk increased, James wasn't too sure how accurate those thoughts were. "All you need to know, General, is that I have found you lacking. This is your last chance to convince me otherwise."

"Of course you wouldn't make this easy. Why do they never make it easy?"

Though the General typically saw less action than he used to, that didn't mean his skills were any rustier. Nothing would be more embarrassing for the man in charge of the army and huntsmen academy than to fight less adequately than the ones he led. That was why, regardless of Clover's body being thrown in his direction, James didn't hesitate in launching himself backwards with a pair of shots from his black revolver.

It was only natural for Dark Link to raise his shield again. He undoubtedly had the advantage in terms of speed, for sure, but that didn't make him faster than a bullet. It didn't even matter in the long run, for neither deluded themselves into believing the first shot would do any damage. Therefore, when Dark Link found his arm being tugged skyward by an unseen force, it came as a pleasant surprise.

"Ah yes, I suppose that makes sense. After all, that's the fable you tell your people, is it not?" Dark Link mused aloud, a sickening noise as the shield separated from inhumane flesh. Released from its owner's grasp, the shield was free to float to the rooftop. From the momentary smirk that came to the general's face, it wasn't coming down any time soon. "The city of Atlas, held aloft by gravity dust. A revolutionary concept… in your people's eyes at least."

"Nice to see you've done your research." James spat, several more shots fired in Dark Link's directions. "Then you know what comes next!"

Without a shield to protect him, the clone could only dodge to the side. By a miracle alone, the first flurry of shots completely missed their mark, the second blocked by an ancient short sword. When that too decided to ignore the force of gravity, however, Dark Link was left momentarily impressed. Not that it stopped him from pulling a nearby chair out, splinters of wood soon floating harmlessly through the air.

Giving a small scowl, James allowed the black revolved to fall by his side, Due Process still smoking as it was reloaded. Though his office was indeed spacious, it was only that – an office. Never had the architects intended the room to face combat. While there was… adequate room to dodge and evade, there were only so many places he could hope to move toward. With Dark Link blocking the doorway, the general's options were severely limited.

It was why, when an ancient bow was drawn in his direction, James didn't hesitate in firing the black revolver towards the ground. Empowered by the dust-strengthened recoil, it took no more than two seconds before he was essentially standing on the roof, watching the arrow completely shatter the window behind where he once was. Considering the amount of effort and funds that went into reinforcing those windows, James wasn't exactly quick to allow another to meet the same fate.

Grabbing onto the ancient shield floating beside him, the general growled as he launched himself downward. The shield may not have been the largest of platforms, but it seemed to do well in blocking the arrows that Dark Link fired in James' direction. It meant that when James hit the ground, and he certainly did with the way the floor trembled after, James only needed to kick his feet to have the shield in his hands. His style may not have typically featured one, but it was damn handy in stopping the ancient short sword that threatened to slice him in two.

That didn't mean the fight would be easy. If it was, then James would have to put his so-called 'Ace Operatives' through the wringer again. Dark Link's close combat was far superior to his long-range, the speed of his sword rivalled only by the true Link. In trying his best to block every attack, James was still forced to obey the basic laws of physics. That meant several slashes cutting deep into his aura before James could ever hope to fight back. By the time the general was able to back out slightly, Dark Link had already managed to deal a sizable amount of damage.

Not that it was his first time fighting with a fair chunk of his aura missing. One thing that Dark Link failed to realise was that revolvers were just as viable in close range, if not even more so. If Dark Link would've been inconvenienced by getting shot from a distance, then the bullets directly to his face were definitely an annoying move. Watching as his opponent's head snapped backwards, James stance changed rapidly, several target points calculated in a manner of seconds. If it had taken any longer, than landing every one of his shots wouldn't have been possible. Though Dark Link was thrown to the floor with the force, James' stance refused to soften.

"Do you not recall your previous encounters with my kind?" Dark Link mused aloud, rising from the ground with nary a scratch. Rolling his neck with a wicked grin, the clone looked down to the wounds James caused. Wounds being used very loosely, for the holes produced by the bullets were sealing at an incredible rate. In but a single minute, there wasn't a scratch in sight. "We aren't so easily wounded by your weapons. So long as the hero isn't by your side, you are playing right into my hands."

"I could easily say the same." James retorted, twisting his body away from the blade that tried to pierce his heart. He would've tackled Dark Link in return, but there wasn't a need. Not when the clone's body began to gradually rise into the air. The way in which the smug expression on Dark Link faltered couldn't help but bring an internal sigh of relief to James. "After all, I already showed you that my bullets worked off gravity dust. Someone with a better plan would've tried their best to keep dodging. Someone with an ego problem would've decided against sealing them into their body before gloating rather than kill their opponent while they still could."

"Who said I couldn't kill?" it was far more difficult, but it certainly wasn't impossible. Dark Link's strength was nothing to be scoffed at; fighting the effects of gravity dust was manageable, if difficult. The issue came with how it threw off his aim. With arrows flying far from their intended target, it was far easier for James to defend himself. Dark Link's only saving grace was the sheer volume of arrows he could release.

Diving behind the seat as his desk, James inwardly cursed as he heard several arrows pierce its materials. A brief moment of respite allowed James to see his floor, now peppered with blue glowing arrows. Though his face remained cold, he mentally cursed. The repair bills were definitely going to be hell now. Maybe once he explained this to the council, he could get some compensation. Hell, he was responsible for most of the council's anyway – he'd just process the compensation himself.

"You cannot hide forever!" the taunting voice called out, just in time for James' chair to give out. Rather than flee to a new hiding position, however, James remained on the ground. His resolute expression would've brought fear to another man. For Dark link, it was nought but a mildly amusing detail. "An immortal enemy you cannot flee from. What will you do now, General? Your robots couldn't save you, nor your students. Trying to kill me will only get yourself killed."

"…You talk too much." James sighed, a barely audible remark. Paired with his resolution being replaced by an indescribable fire, it was a sight that would stir even the weakest heart. "And who the hell said I had to kill you? All I have to do… is stall!"

People always expected a button for emergencies. Either a big red one sitting in a glass cage or some tiny mechanism on the bottom of the desk. The issue with that was, if the enemy somehow managed to break the desk, that button was broken right alongside it. A pressure pad on the floor, however? Far easier to disguise and far easier to activate discretely when sitting at the desk. If someone managed to break it, they'd have to blow up the floor. It was pretty clear that there wouldn't be any need for a warning by that point.

Despite Dark Link completely blowing up the desk, James was still completely free to hit the pressure pad with his foot as he rose. As soon as the green light pulsed a single time, the only option left was to fight for his life. Something told him that would be easier said than done.

* * *

"Urgh… I can't believe all of this crazy stuffed happened while I wasn't around to see it." Amber moaned as she rubbed her forehead. At first, the novelty of being awake once more had been exhilarating. With all the exposition being dumped on her, however, returning to sleep was looking to be more of a viable option. "So, you're telling me that ordinary weapons can't hurt this 'Calamity' guy?"

"Only the tools of our world seem capable of harming him. Fortunately, we've been given the ability to replicate them. Not only will this allow us to create a personal armoury, it means we can create copies for the scientists of Remnant to dissect. We should be able to start work on combining our technologies." Zelda answered, her confidence faltering slightly as she continued. "Whether we have the time to implement such a process is an entirely different matter. As we are, we can only produce a limited number of weapons. Beyond that, no other tools are suitable."

"That is why we thought it prudent to awaken you. Even if we fail to gather the other remaining maidens, the power of one alone is still miles higher than the average huntsmen." Interrupted Ozpin. "With the divine beings resting within you, you are now one of few who could end this blight upon two worlds. We shall do our best to fend off the Grimm he now commands. It will be up to you, Link and any who bear his weapons to bring an end to the Calamity. I understand this is a task beyond any other I've given you. I won't ask for your forgiveness."

"The idea of facing a god-like being doesn't exactly sound nice…" Amber muttered, her face falling slightly. Zelda's was about to do the same, only for Amber's fist punching her palm to throw the princess. "But letting that same god-like being mess up Remnant sounds even worse! Sitting around doing nothing isn't my kind of thing!"

" _You will have to train yourself for the coming fight. Your flames have weakened, while foreign powers now lay at your fingertips."_ Nayru warned. _"As you are now, you may only be a burden until you become accustomed to our abilities."_

"Oh, so you don't have to take over my body to talk?" was Amber's bemused response before shaking her head. "Guess that makes sense though. Even without al of this talk of goddesses and demons, I've been sleeping for a while. I would've been training myself back up to huntress levels anyway."

Link's offer of assistance never left his mouth. The alarm blaring through Ozpin's scroll was to thank for that. The headmaster didn't even pick it up before a grim expression came across his face, eyes staring towards an unseen target in the distance.

"General Ironwood is in danger. The entirety of _Atlas_ is in danger." Ozpin muttered, his cane held in an iron grip as he began to walk. "That alarm is only reserved for the worst emergencies. It could be a matter of moments before his life is taken. We must move immediately."

He barely had time to take another step, however, before a second alarm blared. Though it lacked the same frenzied noise that had accompanied the first, Ozpin answer it with the same severe expression. When it was mirrored by Glynda through the screen, it was immediately clear how dire the situation is.

"According to border patrol, there has been a build-up of Grimm in numerous areas. Their numbers would've been at a level our security measures could handle, but whatever caused that blackout has completely fried their systems." The blonde dutifully reported. Ozpin tried his best to hide the surge of guilt that passed through him. "I've sent some students to patrol the area as part of their combat studies, but they would've only just arrived. Their numbers are insufficient considering the number of places being attacked anyway. What should we do?"

"I hereby authorise the deploy of as many students as necessary. Spread the message as far as possible, we need to cull as many possible before they reach the walls." The headmaster immediately ordered, his glance turning to the side. "We shall move towards the battlefield. Have recon try and figure out the densest Grimm populations. Then, deploy licensed huntsmen and the staff as necessary. No need to put the students through undue pressure. Am I understood?"

"Yes. I shall implement the measures immediately." Glynda stated before hanging up the call herself. It meant that she didn't see the weary sigh that passed Ozpin's lips.

"Zelda, you still have that copy of Miss Adel's Gianduja, correct?"

"Indeed. Though I can't say that I'm the most proficient in its use, I was able to hold my own." She quickly replied.

"Very well. You and Amber shall deploy to whichever area Goodwitch deems the worst. Your powers lay in widespread damage; you should be able to control large groups better than others." The headmaster ordered, receiving nods of acknowledgement from both. It took less than a tilt of his head before both were running to the exit. Well, Amber was running at least. The rather cumbersome weight of the Gianduja copy didn't exactly make such a task easy for one as delicate as the princess. "Link. Salem, you and I shall go to face whatever ails General Ironwood. James is a strong man; he would only use that signal if there was no other choice. Something tells me that we're going to need your unique existence here."

Of course. There was no way a sudden attack of Ironwood and a random increase of Grimm would be unconnected. Not with the Calamity holding sway over them.

"Indeed. I trust you're of the same mind, Salem?" yet when Ozpin turned to her, Salem's face was conflicted. When her eyes reopened, however, a determined fire had taken root within them. "Salem?"

"I will not be able to go with you. There is something else I must do." She muttered, turning around with nought but a glance back. "Once I return, I will either bring greater power or none at all. Either way, our tasks for the future will be far easier."

With her form gone in less than a second, there wasn't much time for either man to refute.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As of this chapter, this story has reached the same stage it is in on Fanfiction.net. From now on, new chapters will be uploaded at the same time on both sites.


	19. An altered battlefield

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On alliances and assaults.

Mountain Glenn was not the hellscape it had been before. In the face of the… _incident_ regarding Team RWBY, the utmost effort had been placed into transforming the area. With the previous barricades ruined beyond repair, the people had put everything they had into replacing them with far greater fortifications. Though the city upon the surface remained beyond their reach, the new additions meant that the tunnels were at least secured. Without any major force to attract and empower them, the Grimm wouldn't be breaching any time soon. Were it not for recent events, perhaps there might even have come a day where resettlement would be considered.

Regardless, the grimace on Salem's face could not be suppressed. While the dim lighting and dust-filled air could be tolerated to an extent, the same couldn't be said for the constant waterdrops falling upon her. When her abode literally situated in an endless expanse of pure darkness was more comfortable, it spoke volumes of the state of Mountain Glenn. Despite the public's work, it would be a long time until the subterranean settlement was back to its original state. Still, it served well for Salem's intentions. Her complaints could be swallowed for a short period.

After all, to lose face in front of present company would cause far more trouble than it was worth.

"I did not take you as one for human disguises." A voice halfway between elegance and arrogance remarked, Salem sparing little more than a glance over her shoulder. While she may have respected Arthur Watts for his intelligence, that didn't mean his nature didn't grate on her nerves. Salem's corrupted form may have appreciated the condescending sadism he reveled in, but now she could only scowl in his presence. "Is there a particular reason why you have called us here, rather than the… _usual_ location?"

"I was getting so close to finding the Spring Maiden too! I'll have to start all over again with how much the bitch moves!" Tyrian 'jokingly' lamented as his tail stabbed at the air absently. His true emotions regarding the situation mattered not. So long as he was in the presence of his master, Tyrian wouldn't complain. A psychotic serial killer he may have been, but an idiot? Far from it. "Eh, nothing I can't recover from though. And when I do, hehe…!"

"Do not fret Tyrian. Times have changed and so must I. There have been a few… alterations to my plans."

The slight twitch of Salem's hand didn't go unnoticed. For one so skilled in tracking and killing, lacking the appropriate observation skills would've seen Tyrian killed long before he was chanced upon by Salem. Even so, it meant woefully little when the lightning had already pierced his abdomen. Without time to blink before the deed was done, Tyrian could only stare in blank confusion before the light began to leave his eyes.

Those gathered were no strangers to dead bodies. Whether it was that of close allies or complete unknowns, death had made itself a common presence around them. To witness one of their own be offed so easily however was a completely different story, especially when it was one of the most competent fighters in Salem's cabal. It was as if Aura did not exist, so rapidly had Tyrian lost his life. His wounds cauterised the moment that they formed, there hadn't even been time for a drop of blood to fall. One couldn't imagine a more ruthlessly efficient kill.

"Unfortunately, I cannot see a world where you are a part of them." Salem continued, another flick of her wrist sending Tyrian's body flying back at incredible speed. There was already enough dirt and grime in Mountain Glenn; the least Salem could do was clean up her mess. A brief flash of flame and any evidence would soon be erased from the world. "Allow me to state this upfront. It's only because you all are still of use that you have yet to meet the same fate. If I do not hear the responses I desire today, that very well may change. Am I understood?"

If they hadn't been faced with a being far beyond their power, perhaps some of them might've scoffed. The threat was neither new nor different. From the moment they entered into Salem's employ, her strength and willingness to use it had hung over their heads like a guillotine. Even Cinder, treated as a key figure by Salem, had not been foolish enough to consider herself irreplaceable. The fact that she now wore a human's visage changed nothing.

"We've followed you to this point. I see no reason for that to have changed." Hazel was the first to answer, standing from the ruin he had been leaning against. Though small, Salem's smile was no less relieved. Out of the entire cabal, Hazel was one of the most rational and composed, so long as Ozpin wasn't involved. If he had refused at this point, then the entire endeavour might as well have been thrown in the bin.

"We too stand beside you, my Lady." Soon followed Cinder. The same sentiment from the pair behind her would've been appreciated, but fearful silence was just as useful. They may have been minor players on the grand stage of life, but finding replacements would be an unnecessary annoyance. The time to train substitutes simply wasn't available, even if potential recruits were a dime-a-dozen.

"Indeed, I am of the same mind," Arthur muttered, dusting off his coat. "I must say though, I wonder what has occurred to make you question our loyalty. Forgive me when I say, Lady Salem, Tyrian appeared to show no sign of betrayal, nor was he failing in his duties. Might I ask what warranted his death?"

"There is a saying I recall that claimed 'you can't understand the human spirit without dirtying your own.' Thanks to present events, the taint which clouded my eyes has disappeared at last." Hearing such vague words, it was natural for confusion to spread through Salem's audience as she finally turned to face them. "While your mistaking my being for a disguise is amusing, Doctor, it is incorrect. In attempting the defy the tyranny of gods, I ended up no better than them. Now, however, my mind has been restored at the cost of empowering a greater evil. Once more, I can tell that a man who lives only for killing others has no place in this world. If I did not believe your minds could be swayed, then you would've joined Tyrian. That is _not_ to say my opinions can't be _changed_."

A pressure beyond all others upon their backs meant there were no answers, those gathered left breathless as they were brought to their knees. It was an unnecessary measure, to be sure, yet one that comforted Salem all the same. Words were one thing, but she had seen what these people were capable of. Maybe the same couldn't be said for Cinder, but Arthur would most certainly take advantage of Salem if he mistook her actions for weakness. As for Hazel, her repaired relationship with Ozpin would drive the man to treachery in seconds. With these reminders of her strength, their obedience – however forced – would be assured.

"Now then, down to business. Cinder, contact your little friends and have them resituated to Atlas. I don't care what excuses you must conjure, but the city must not be allowed to fall." Cinder might've silently nodded, but Arthur wasn't so conspicuous with his own opinion. A little more pressure upon his back and those sentiments were rapidly silenced. "You should consider yourself fortunate that I am not ordering _you_ to do so, Doctor. Instead, you will be working on restoring Vale's defences. Thanks to the power surge that occurred, they are all in need of restoration. I trust you understand the need for subtlety without my prompt. Hazel, you'll be assisting Cinder in Atlas once you ensure the White Fang are lending their aid to the current battle. I'd rather not call them idiots, but the opportunity to cull the human populace could drive them to complacency."

"Their grudge may be strong, but their will to survive prevails. It shall be done." Hazel spoke, forcing himself into a more appropriate bowing position. Despite the situation, Salem allowed a small smile of approval to show. The strength required to do that was no small amount. "My Lady, is there a need to mobilise us all? Is this not a standard siege suppression?"

"Did I not say it before? My transformation came at a cost. A great evil has awakened, one that will wreak even worse havoc upon the masses than I ever could. His strength bolsters the Grimm as we speak, and it will only become worse with time." Salem answered, her eyes turning upward as a tremor passed through the ceiling. For the battle to reach them spoke of how well the defence above was faring. "If I once thought of you as ants, then you are less than dust in his eyes. I wished to rule this realm, but he desires every realm in existence. If you value your lives, and I'm _certain_ that you do, no effort will be spared in ensuring his downfall. Otherwise, there may not be a _universe_ \- let alone a world - for your ashes to fall in. now move."

There was no hesitation, their figures gone in a flash as soon as Salem released the pressure upon them. Usually, there would be quite a bit more banter passed between them, taunts and praises flying in equal measure. Given the current circumstances, its exclusion was rather understandable. The continuing sounds of chaos coming from the surface meant that the Grimm had already pierced the makeshift defences Ozpin had ordered. Without the aid of the city's fortifications, there was only so much human forces could achieve. If they didn't act swiftly, the battle could easily turn against the huntsmen.

"Well then, I suppose there is no reason to remain in his place," Salem muttered to herself, gazing upon a lightning covered hand. Far too long had passed since the last time she actively fought. Nothing would be more embarrassing than causing a scene, only to learn that her strength had diminished through laxity. "The battlefield awaits. If you want something done correctly, do it yourself."

* * *

"…You're kidding, right? Some super powerful threat is making a mess of Atlas and you just expect me to waltz over there? We're talking Ironwood and his fancy robots; I'll be caught before I take a single step!" Neo frowned around her spoon as Roman's complaints filled her ears yet again. Thanks to walls thinner than paper, there was no escaping the sound produced by the other. Then again, it was a miracle they had a roof over their heads in the first place, thanks to the increased security buzzing around the place. "Look, we aren't huntsmen. Let the qualified people do the hard work. This wasn't part of our… Are you serious? Tch, fine. Don't expect me to become some kind of hero though. You know full well that ain't our style."

Poking her head around the door, Neo watched as a weary sigh deflated Roman's body, the scroll in his hand one step away from being crushed. Annoyance at their 'employer' wasn't unfamiliar, but rarely did it ever reach the level that Roman displayed. A bag thrown in her direction though meant Neo didn't need to ask any questions.

"Pack up and get ready to move out. Looks like the boss-lady's making a move to Atlas. Why the hell she's bringing us along, I don't know." The man stated, his cane resting against a battered sofa soon held within an irritated grip. Apart from a few sets of clothes, there wasn't much else for Roman to pack. The thief lifestyle might've made some huge claims, but that meant nothing when you had to cough up any profit to someone else. "Tried to press as much as I could out of her, but she seemed to barely have a clue in the first place. All I know is that we're suddenly working with something even worse than the crazy chick. Maybe it has something to do with that freak we saw after the mess with the CCT tower."

Neo's hand hesitated at those words, the sickly voice that had taunted her echoing through her head. In but a brief sentence, all of the effort Neo spent trying to forget about that… _thing_ had been wasted. How on earth it knew _anything_ about her remained a mystery, let alone enough to make such probing remarks with confidence. There shouldn't have been a soul alive to speak about her past – Neo had personally made sure of that. That the freak was also potentially linked to something even more powerful than Cinder's boss was just the cherry on the cake.

Of course, her unique situation meant her dismay could only be expressed through a shiver and a foulness to Neo's eyes, the clothes she held packed with just a little too much force. In truth, the girl was torn between forcibly silencing the freak and trying her best to never cross paths with it again. If it had been anyone else, then Neo would've considered the battle already won. Someone who was able to find out about her past was a completely different beast though. If the freak had been able to find out that much, how much more did he learn about Neo? For all she knew, the freak already knew all of her abilities and weaknesses. For once in her life, she was at an absolute disadvantage, with nothing she could do to change it.

The only saving grace was that the Freak felt no shame in making enemy after enemy. With all of the huntsmen Ozpin was undoubtedly going to throw at it, Neo might not have to lift a finger to have her secrets buried. The issue there, then, was whether they'd be alive to celebrate it. After all, Cinder had no hesitations about throwing the thieving duo into whatever situation she pleased. If Cinder's orders meant going against something even crazier than what few rumours they'd heard about her boss, Roman and she would be out of their league. Neo held confidence in her abilities, but only idiots considered themselves immortal without reason.

"Least we don't have to stay in this garbage dump any longer," Roman muttered with a hiss of annoyance as the ground trembled once more. Whether he was talking about their current housing or Vale itself, Neo was wont to agree. If the Grimm kept going at it as they were, how much of the city would be left untouched was out for debate. Having hidden behind the city's defences for so long, the huntsmen were shamefully unprepared for dealing with large amounts of Grimm. If it weren't for how their employer was placing them in the same scenario, Neo would've laughed. "As if Atlas is any better, freezing hellhole. Still, the boss-lady never said how we should get there. If we just so happen to hit a few delays along the way, what can we do? Plus, we need to acquire transport in the first place and that's just so difficult nowadays, isn't it?"

Even if it didn't completely remove the fret from Neo's face, Roman's suggestion was a welcome distraction. Thanks to the distance between Vale and Atlas, there were plenty of places they could make a few pitstops at. Nothing said they couldn't have a little fun along the journey. If they played their cards right, the duo could even wreak havoc twice; they didn't have to take to the skies _immediately_. Neo could already envision the confusion and terror on the poor saps' faces as she commandeered their train, ready to repeat the process when they needed a bullhead.

"That's more like it!" startled out of her thoughts as an arm wrapped around her shoulders, Neo offered no resistance as Roman poked her face. It wasn't as if she couldn't break out whenever she wanted after all. Might as well indulge Roman from time to time. "We're going to need all the pep we can get if we're gonna make it through this slog. Those monsters are gonna be breathing down our back the whole time, and the Grimm will be making a mess too."

There was no point in restraining her rolling eyes. Humour as tepid as that had become a common fixture in their lives, especially when their employer gave them jobs beyond their paygrade. Considering that the alternative was wallowing in the knowledge that they were no less disposable than rubbish, the pair would take what they could get.

* * *

How the hell had it reached this point?

"Is it just me, or are these things way crazier than usual?" Ruby cried out as an Ursa's claw tore at her skirt. If it weren't for swift hands driving Crescent Rose through the offending appendage, the girl might've revealed far more than she would've preferred. Any relief she would've felt was quickly replaced by exasperation when several Boarbatusks began charging in her direction, only a pair ended by Ruby's gunfire. "They're super tough all of a sudden!"

"Displaced as well. I don't think I've seen this many Grimm variations in one area." Weiss muttered, her heels dug into the ground being all that prevented her from flying into a wall. As it was, the Sabyr's strike had managed to push her all the way to Ruby's position, a wave of ice crystals fired in retaliation. Before Weiss could see the fruits of her labour, however, she was already stabbing at the Boarbatusks aiming for her partner. "Sabyrs are meant to be found on Solitas, Nuckelavees are meant to be on Anima. There shouldn't be any reason for there to be specimens so close to Vale. Then there's the weird colouration to them, almost as if they're tainted or something…"

"Hey, less theory, more practical!" Yang's voice yelled out, yet there was no sight of the brawler. It wasn't until Weiss caught Ruby gawping at the sky that the girl's brain finally made the connection. Turning her eyes upward, Weiss couldn't help the small tut that passed her lips. "Blake, a little help?"

"Got it." it wasn't as if Blake was just going to stand idle as Yang wrestled with a Nevermore in the sky. A few seconds were all she required before Gambol Shroud was soaring through the air, Yang pulling the Nevermore's neck back just in time for a ribbon to strangle it. While Blake's strength might not have been enough under normal circumstances, the vicious beating Yang gave to the Grimm meant one tug had it falling like a rock. A series of shotgun shells to the back of its head meant there was no way the Nevermore would survive the impact. "You don't have to do that _every_ time we fight a Nevermore."

"But it's fun! Can't you let it _fly_ just this once?"

Blake’s response had to be held back, an incoming Deathstalker meaning both girls would have their hands full. Fortunately, their time at Beacon had served its purpose. Blake’s agility meant reaching the Grimm’s stinger was a simple task, Yang’s frontal assault keeping the Deathstalker amply distracted. Whereas a whole team would’ve originally been required, the two alone made for afar match. Even so, that didn’t mean the rest of their team was just willing to sit on the sidelines. What use was remaining split when you could kill two birds with one stone?

“Yang, out of the way!” Startled by her sister’s cry, Yang’s body moved through instincts alone. Flipping away from the Deathstalker, the girl’s pride grew as she watched a Boarbatusk smash into the Grimm’s head courtesy of Ruby. Enraged, the Deathstalker’s claws pierced the Boarbatusk without hesitation, leaving it completely clueless towards the blonde flying towards its tail. Weakened by Blake’s repeated assault, an unholy screech echoed out as a single punch from Yang ripped its stinger clean off. Once that threat was removed, Yang was free to grab the stinger and slam it into the Deathstalker’s head, Yang's mighty battle cry followed by silence. "Nice!"

"No time to celebrate. There's more." Blake's words were followed by even more horrific noises, Team RWBY gazing out upon an uncertain battlefield. One didn't need to travel far before the sounds of the injured and dying could be heard, all manner of Grimm tearing into huntsmen with reckless abandon. Their forces already thinned when several Grimm managed to breach the disabled defences, the enemy had become an unrelenting tide in no time at all. "There's no way this is natural, it's insane."

"It's a test." The Beowulves that attempted to assault the quartet from behind barely lived long enough to let out a yelp. Torn apart by flame and bullets, there was barely enough time to blink before a number of the foul creatures were slain. Ruined beyond corpses, Yang could only awkwardly cover Ruby's eyes until the Grimm fully dissolved. Eviscerated as they were, it wasn't exactly a lengthy process. "Ganondorf is toying with us. Probing our defences to see how much strength is required using Grimm bearing his taint. Why would he care about preserving the natural order? The Grimm are his tools, tools in which he seeks to slaughter us all."

"Zelda?" Ruby couldn't help but mutter. With clothes coated in dust and brandishing a weapon usually reserved for mounted use, the woman standing before her couldn't be a further cry from the gentle princess she knew. The fire in her eyes spoke of a warrior, not a pacifist. "Ganondorf… I'm guessing that has something to do with the weird cloud-monster that came out of Mountain Glenn."

"Correct. There's no point in hiding the truth any longer. Should we return victorious, then you will learn our full story." Zelda muttered, hefting the copy of Gianduja as a wave of black began to gather around them. "You have fought alongside us more than any other. If anyone deserves to know the threat we're facing, then the honour belongs to your team. Before that, however, our objective is clear."

"Guessing that's where I come in, right?" the woman stood beside Zelda said, a cheerful grin unbefitting sat proudly on her face. If Zelda looked like a maiden of war, then she wouldn't have appeared out of place sitting in a café. Hardly the best of attitudes when surrounded by deadly creatures. "Been a while since I got to let loose. No need to hold back, yeah?"

"Indeed, Amber. To battle!"

Team RWBY weren't ones to consider themselves weak. While numerous conflicts had shown that they were far from invincible, their track record was relatively admirable. Compared to some of their peers, the girls were leaps and bounds beyond what could be expected of them after so short a period.

So why was it that as soon as Amber took to the battlefield, their skills so rapidly paled in comparison? Her form shrouded in vicious flame, it was as if a goddess had taken to the field. Fireballs were flung about without a care in the world, incinerating any Grimm unfortunate enough to come across their paths. Those who managed to avoid immediate immolation were torn apart by martial arts imbued with incredible power, clumsy movements somehow bearing immense strength. It didn't take long before the huntsmen once fighting for their lives were left dumbfounded, watching as their opponents were dispatched with enviable efficiency.

"Ha, Looks like I'm even better than before!" Amber cheered as she slid beneath an Ursa's swipe. Unable to react in time, Amber ripped off the Grimm's spines – perfect weapons with which to stab the Ursa straight through the head. "Come at me!"

The sheer number of Grimm however was nothing to be laughed at. Despite Amber's greatest efforts, a single person could only achieve so much. In releasing her fury so earnestly at the beginning, the obvious consequences soon began to make themselves known. While Amber's attacks were still culling the horde, the slight tremble to her hands brought a silent curse to her lips.

"Are you kidding me right now?" Amber muttered as she threw yet another spire of flame into the surrounding Grimm, more effort required than she would've liked. "Hey, you said your names were Nayru and Farore, right? What happened to me being able to use your powers?"

" _Do you not recall our becoming one? Your body is not used to wielding our divine power, maiden or not. It's natural for you to become fatigued more easily."_ Nayru's voice piped up in Amber's mind, the girl yelping as her body involuntarily threw itself to the side. its claws striking thin air, the offending Griffon could only snarl in confusion before Zelda's gunfire mowed it down. _"Besides, our domains are water and wind, while you appear insistent on attacking through fire. That means you're having to utilise more power than if you were utilising our specialty elements."_

" _Given time, your body will be able to acclimatise. We had not planned for you to be thrown into combat so rapidly."_ Farore added. _"As it is, your best bet is to retreat to the back lines and allow yourself to recover. Once your energy has returned, then restricting yourself to our elements will help make the transition a bit less drastic."_

"What, already?" Amber couldn't help but bite back. To go from being able to battle hordes with a flick of her wrist to being so easily tired out was too harsh a difference for the girl to accept. Sure, the number of Grimm she had eliminated was certainly nothing to be scoffed at, but Amber's previous stamina would be barely strained. If it weren't for Farore forcibly taking over Amber's body to fire a blade of wind to shred the incoming Lancers, then the girl was more than willing to make her complaints heard.

" _I suppose we should take some of the blame for your current situation. Have you not noticed anything strange?"_ At Farore's prompt, Amber could only give a confused noise. _"While the energy itself may be unstable, your control is not. Yet you can feel it, can't you? When you use your abilities, they come out far stronger than you intended."_

"You mean that's not just you being super powerful or something?"

" _Well, partially. The larger factor, however, is that we're pumping more power into your strikes. Otherwise, you wouldn't be able to deal with the Grimm as swiftly as you are now."_ the goddess answered, her control over Amber meaning the girl was helpless as her body began running backwards. _"They are more powerful than the creatures you know; the attacks you intended would only be half as effective. Nayru and I believed it better to eliminate the Grimm quicker, lest we expose you to greater opportunity for harm."_

"Can't you guys tell me this beforehand? Thought these things looked kind of weird." Amber muttered, trying her best to swallow her irritation. There were more suitable times to express her annoyance than when they were on the battlefield. "Well then, how long until I top my energy up again? I'm not the kind of person to just sit around."

" _Without acting? Ten minutes at best."_ Nayru spoke up, no small hint of intrigue entering her tone. _"Fortunately, I don't believe any further intervention will be required. Your little display paired with the Princess seems to have spurred those who lost hope into standing once more."_

No sooner had the goddess said so than what seemed like a glowing handbag took off a Beowulf's head, Zelda nearly throwing herself to the ground thanks to the momentum. Under normal circumstances, such a clumsy fighting style would no doubt lead to the death of the huntsmen. With Team RWBY to protect her however, the Princess had no reason to fear. Thus, those strong or fast enough to pierce the students' protective formation were quite literally crushed beneath the might of Zelda.

Given time to recover, the other huntsmen too found themselves faring better. Groups initially hastily thrown together had the opportunity to reconvene and strategize, meaning survival attempts became coordinated attacks. Though the Grimm were still empowered by whatever foul blessing Ganongorf had bestowed, what had once been a once sided assault had now stepped closer to a stalemate. It was almost a sight for sore eyes, were it not for the fact that the number of Grimm approaching vale was still unnervingly large.

"Stand strong! We need only fight until Vale can restore their defences!" Zelda called out, slamming a Sabyr to the ground. the Grimm may not have been too harmed by the first strike, but the same could not be said for the second or third. In all honesty, the fourth time Zelda slammed her copy of Gianduja into the Sabyr was somewhat unnecessary. For one who wasn't ever expected to raise a weapon though, making the beast's death absolute was of vital importance.

"Any idea how long that's going to take?" Yang asked, her fist halfway through a Boarbatusk's stomach. One pump of her arm and the hideous squeals were soon silenced. "It's gotta be something serious if we could hear the explosion in Beacon. Problems like that don't get sorted in a couple of minutes."

The Princess' hesitation spoke volumes. With the scale of the power surge Amber's revival had caused, it was to be expected that the recovery period would be intense. To say that, however, would be to ruin the morale Zelda and Amber had built up. With the people's enthusiasm having only just returned, speaking recklessly could bring it down in a flash. Even so, Team RWBY was not blind; the hope that built on their faces quickly died down.

"Do not fret. Before the others departed for Atlas, arrangements were made to ensure a constant flow of support and supplies. So long as we keep up an adequate defence, we should be able to prevent any further injuries." Zelda eventually stated, gazing upon the incoming Grimm. It may not have been _much_ of a reassurance, but it was a reassurance, nonetheless.

Her copy of Gianduja may not have required typical ammunition, but everyone else was armed with conventional weaponry. A person could only carry so many bullets on their body. If nothing else, then the fact that there were supplies meant that the huntsmen could fight without reservation. When one extra bullet could mean the difference between life and death, who knew how many lives could be saved compared to when supplies were limited?

"Wait, departed for Atlas? What happened in Atlas?" unlike the rest of her team, Zelda's statement brought nothing but more worry to Weiss' face. Stumbling in her surprise, it was only Gambol Shroud wrapping around a Lancer's neck that prevented the Schnee heiress from being impaled. "The Grimm can't have gotten to it, that would mean that Mantle's-!"

"Hey Kid, focus!" perhaps it wasn't the most graceful of movements, but Zelda pushing Weiss down meant that Amber's gust only struck the other Lancers swarming around them. "Kind of dealing with something more important right now!"

"Indeed. With Link and the… others making their way to Atlas, whatever plagues the city will soon be corrected." Zelda quickly concurred. Probably best not to mention the staff members by name, if Weiss knew that they were forced to send them, the poor girl would probably have a heart attack. However estranged she felt about her family, Weiss home was still Atlas. knowing that they were in danger was bound to cause a reaction. "Mantle is the city below Atlas, correct? As far as I'm aware, it is unharmed. it's better to focus on the battle at hand than one you cannot assist in."

They were hardly the words Weiss wanted to hear, but it wasn't as if there was any other option. To abandon her position now would not only endanger her teammates, but potentially the entire city. Vale needed every huntsman they could get their hands on; losing one was a price they couldn't afford, no matter the reason.

Such was why Weiss remained silent as Myrtenaster's chamber began to spin, each slash of the rapier drawing a line of flame to burn all who dared approach. Paired with Crescent Rose firing bolt after bolt, few Grimm dared approach. Those that did found themselves victims of Blake and Yang's teamwork, a deadly duet of brutish strikes and agile attacks. Faced with that, Zelda and Amber were free to turn their attention to the others fighting for their lives. With bullets, wind and water flying freely, it almost appeared as if the tainted Grimm were being pushed back.

 _Almost_ , unfortunately, being the significant term.

Typically, there were very few things that could force a Grimm to give pause. Either their intelligence reached a stage where they recognised the threat humanity posed, or they were dead. Considering the age of the surrounding Grimm, the former was highly unlikely. As for the latter, well, the masses were still going strong. Therefore, when every Grimm abruptly froze, it was natural for confusion to sprout among the humans. Of course, that didn't stop those more pragmatic few from culling those nearest, at least until the strangest of sights occurred.

If there was one image more terrifying than a horde of Grimm, it was a horde of Grimm suddenly pulsating as they oozed foul darkness. A noise that could only be described as mass torture rang out as the dark substance spread across their bodies. Even the bravest amongst the huntsmen found themselves backing away, lest they too fall prey to whatever curse appeared to be ravaging their opponents.

And then they swarmed.

"They're all targeting… everyone, protect Zelda!" Blake yelled, the Faunus already running with the rest of her team in tow.

With so many Grimm rushing in their direction, it didn't take a genius to figure out where they were aiming. The major issue was that bearing Gianduja's weight meant Zelda was practically a sitting duck. One that could unleash a storm of bullets, sure, but a sitting duck regardless. Abandoning the weapon was certainly an option, but one that left the Princess unarmed against an entire enraged menagerie's worth of Grimm - not exactly the most welcoming of scenarios.

" _I could feel it. Ganondorf's influence, directly moulding those creatures as he desires. An ability that should be the remit of nought but us goddesses…"_ Nayru breathed, her sister left speechless.

"Great, nice to know. Now how do we stop it?" Amber couldn't help but snap back, a frozen hurricane raging around her form.

Wreathed in divine power, the girl let out a reckless cry as she charged towards the Grimm, a vicious eruption of power as the two forces collided. Even then, the Grimm didn't fall easily, unnaturally resilient hides allowing them to weather Amber's abilities for far longer than appreciated. Loathe as she was to admit it, the mutated Grimm were probably being harmed more by their own trampling the fallen than they were by Amber's efforts.

"Oh no you don't!" Yang growled, Ember Celica pushed to its limits as she stood before Zelda. With even Amber's strength struggling against whatever Ganondorf had done to the Grimm though, the blonde brawler stood little chance. Her shots were landing, but that meant nothing when those hit continued with barely a stumble. It didn't take long before there was only one choice. "Alright then, looks like we're going to have to go with plan B!"

Zelda didn't have a chance to react before Yang's arms were around her, throwing her to a nearby team of huntsmen. Tumbling to her feet, the last thing Zelda saw was Yang's frown before she was swallowed by the masses.


End file.
